The first time I noticed that I was different from other kids was in early grammar school. Our reading sessions were always the same; we would sit in a circle and the teacher would pick a student to read. She would always start with the student sitting on the side next to the door. I could not read and suffered greatly when she called on me. So one day I devised a plan: I would memorize the page and make sure that I sat next to her in order for her to call on me. When it came time for the reading session, I ran and took the seat next to the teacher. So far the plan was working, but then she called on another student. I was too young to have a plan B, so again, I was doomed. Another traumatic incident happened around that same time. The school district was testing for aptitude. These were simple questions like distinguishing the right foot from the left foot by circling the correct answer. I remember sneakily looking at my feet to try to figure this pondering question, but to me my feet looked exactly the same. In fourth grade the humiliation of oral reading came to an end. Without scheming, a perfect plan came into action. Every time I was called on to read, I would read one word, pause and make an annoying clicking sound and read the next word. Well it didn’t take long for the bullying to start; as soon as my name was called, many of the students would make the annoying clicking sound before I’d start reading, so the teacher would skip over me. This was encouraging bullying! Throughout my school years I suffered with dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder.
Learning to Cope
In junior high, I suddenly started excelling in history and language arts, making good marks. But math continued to be the biggest obstacle. Back in those days tutors were unheard of; besides our family could not afford to pay for that luxury. In college I had to take elementary algebra, but after the first test I dropped the course because the instructor gave me an “F minus”! Really, isn’t an “F” enough to get the message across?
I taught myself to memorize things through visual aids. The mind of a dyslexic person works differently; I have a keen ability to remember things because of the gift of photographic memory. The downfall of dyslexia is that I still count on my fingers and transpose numbers and letters. This blog has to go through an editor before publishing. When ordering online, it takes me twice as long because the instructions are challenging. In other words basic, normal tasks are nonexistent for a dyslexic person.
Attention Deficit Disorder
The reason people suffer from ADD is due to their inability to concentrate on the subject matter. Many times I’ve come across as being rude when in actuality my mind is working so fast that I blurt out what I was thinking or seeing. People with ADD have the tendency to listen and move to another subject before the person has finished speaking. I don’t know what the experts say about this, but this is how I perceive the situation. This is also why I’m quick-witted; I always have a comeback.
In Good Company
Thomas Edison was kicked out of school at the age of twelve because the teachers thought he was dumb, he had trouble pronouncing words and was terrible at math. We all know that he overcame his dyslexia disability because of his thousands of inventions during his lifetime. Walt Disney quit high school because of his dyslexia but continued with his gift of art, creating the legendary Mickey Mouse. Leonardo da Vinci was known to have dyslexia because letters were transposed in his writings. Presidents Woodrow Wilson and John F. Kennedy both suffered from dyslexia, but it did not prevent them from becoming president of the United States.
Finding Your Niche
Originally the focus on my education was Spanish, but that took a 360˚ turn when I became a “born-again-Christian” (I am back to my Catholic roots). With or without a learning disability, I devoured the Bible; I could not get enough; because I wanted more and more knowledge of the Word of God. I also wanted to get my bachelor’s degree. With the support of my husband, I attended Rancho Santiago College during the day, and two nights a week I drove to Biola University in La Mirada, California. While at Biola my grades were mostly A’s and B’s; I earned these high marks because of my desire to grow in the knowledge of God.
Overcoming
I overcame all the years of frustration caused by my learning disabilities because God gave me the gift of leadership. To be a good leader you must have confidence. I had to believe in myself to lead. The Enemy was always in the wings, constantly reminding me of my learning disabilities. But God knew my heart and has always watched over me and guided my path to help me understand that I am as He made me. Having dyslexia makes me research deeper into subject matters; I must read and reread before I fully grasp the meaning. I have hundreds of books but can count on one hand the books that I have fully read. I thank God for Mapquest and all the other aids that help me get from point A to point B. Forget about putting things on the calendar because I will still get the dates mixed up. This is also the reason I call myself the “Reluctant Chef” because recipes have never made sense. Most of all I have learned to accept these limitations and have adjusted well without regrets because I understand that God has a plan for my life. His plan was to make me depend on Him for all of my needs because when I am weak He is strong.
