If You Give Me Three Days of Light: The Best Collection of Helen Keller

Chapter 6 My Life (4)
The place where we read and study is usually outdoors, bathed in the sun swaying in the woods rather than in the dark house, I think this atmosphere is more conducive to my study.The air is filled with the fragrance of pine needles, mixed with the fruity aroma of wild grapes.As we sat comfortably in the shade of the wild tulip tree, I learned to think.For a student, I think everything is a class, there is a benefit.It can be said that everything has made me realize their charm and function.

In fact, everything that buzzes or blooms silently is the object of my study, and I hold noisy frogs, katydids, and crickets in my hands to feel them.Insects fluttered and chirped, fluffy chickens and wildflowers flitted between my fingers, wildflowers bloomed in competition, violets on the meadows and budding fruit trees exuded fragrance, and I was at one with nature.I can feel the cotton pod opening because I can run my fingers over its downy seeds and soft fibers, I feel the breeze rustle through the cornstalks, and my pony snorts We caught this pony in the ranch, and we put a bit on it. Although it has been so many years, I still clearly remember the strong breath of the pony. Strong clover smell, you can smell it as soon as you close your eyes.

Sometimes I would sneak up at dawn and slip into the garden.At that time, the grass and flowers were covered with dew. Few people could appreciate the pleasure of holding a rose gently in their hands, and few people could see the beautiful figure of a lily swaying in the morning breeze.Occasionally I catch an insect while picking flowers, and I can feel the faint tremor of its wings rubbing in terror.From this, I felt that such a tiny creature would have its own consciousness, and would respond quickly to sudden external forces.

The orchard is another paradise for me where the fruit ripens in early July.Covered with fluff, the huge and plump peaches are pressed low on the branches, within my reach.A gentle breeze blew through the trees, and apples rolled under my feet.Oh, what a wonderful feeling to collect the fruit in the apron.I put my face against the smooth, warm apple, feeling the sun's residual heat.When fully loaded, I'll bounce away.

The "Old Keller Pier" by the Tennessee River is my favorite place to go when I take a walk with Teacher Sullivan. This is a special pier for transporting troops during the Civil War.But now it is a dilapidated wooden pier.We learned geography here and had a memorable time.

I built dams with pebbles, built islands and lakes, and dug river beds, all for fun, and I never felt like I was teaching a lesson.I just "listened" to Mr. Sullivan's shocking description of the world with strong curiosity and thirst for knowledge. Burning mountains, buried cities, moving glaciers-these wonderful natural phenomena fascinated me.Teacher Sullivan will use clay to make a three-dimensional map, so that I can feel the shape of the ridges and canyons, and my fingers will also touch the winding direction of the river. I like this kind of vivid explanation.But I'm still a bit confused on the part that divides the globe into regions and poles.In order to describe all this to me more vividly, Mrs. Sullivan used thin lines to represent latitude lines, and a tree branch to represent the earth axis that runs through the North and South Poles. What she did was so realistic that I remember it deeply.Even today, when people talk about Earth's climate zones, circles still pop up in my head.It's ridiculous, I think if someone lied to me that the white bear would climb up to the North Pole along that pillar (the axis of the earth), I think I would believe it.

Arithmetic was the only subject I didn't like to study, I guess.From the beginning I showed a natural disinterest in science related to numbers.Teacher Sullivan tried to teach me calculations by stringing beads, and even taught me addition and subtraction by arranging straws.But I am still very impatient, and I can only arrange five or six groups at most each time.Every time I barely finish my homework, my mind immediately drifts to other places, or runs out to find my playmates.

I also learned about botany and zoology in the same relaxed and leisurely way.I once met a polite man whose name I have forgotten, but who left me something I have always cherished.

It was a collection of fossils--tiny molluscs in delicate imprints, the talons of birds jutting out of the patches of sandstone, and lovely ferns in shallow relief on the stones.For me, this knowledge is like a key to unlock the treasures of the ancient world.While stroking these marks with trembling fingers, I "listened" to Mr. Sullivan telling the story of the owner of the marks.These ferocious and unnamed beasts once traveled through the vast primeval forest. They broke off the branches of giant trees to feed themselves. In the end, in an ancient unknown age, these beasts died in the dark swamp.At that time, these strange creatures often haunted my dreams.But now, my life is full of warm sunshine and blooming flowers and the soft rhythmic beat of the foal's hooves, because such happy life fills my life, so this frightening memory The past events that have already become deeply buried in my heart no longer affect my life.

Another time, someone gave me a beautiful nautilus shell. As a child, I was very surprised. I was very curious about how a tiny mollusk lived in such a colorful shelter. Teacher Sullivan told I know their activities at night, so I know that every quiet night when there is no wind and waves, the Nautilus will be carried under the "pearl boat" and sail on the blue water of the Indian Ocean.I learned a lot about the behavior of marine life, which was very interesting.For example, in the surging waves, how tiny coral polyps build beautiful coral islands in the Pacific Ocean; how foraminifera form limestone mountains on land.

Teacher Sullivan read "The Nautilus Carrying the Room" for me, and taught me that the formation of the mollusk's shell can be regarded as a symbol of mental development.The shell on the nautilus is transformed from the substances it absorbs from seawater. It transforms useful substances from the outside world into parts of its own body. This is a very magical process. The same is true for human beings to absorb knowledge. knowledge transformed into "pearls of thought" until they become part of ourselves.

There are many such learning experiences, for example, the growth process of plants is my "textbook".Teacher Sullivan bought me a pot of lilies and put it on the sunny window sill.It didn't take long before tender green and tall flower buds appeared.At the beginning, the slender leaves as thick as fingers slowly spread out.I think it may be reluctant to show its inner charm.Then, once again, it started the opening process, which seemed swift and methodical.And there is always one bud that stands out from the crowd, bigger and more beautiful than the others, and the other buds are not jealous of it, not only that, but they also push the most outstanding bud to the stage, making it a real "lily" Flower Queen", slowly, the buds bloomed one after another, everyone took off their green scarves, and the whole pot of lilies became a world full of beauty and fragrance.

One day, by the window where all kinds of flowers and plants were placed, someone put a spherical glass fish tank, and there were eleven tadpoles in the fish tank.I had a strong curiosity about these tadpoles at the time.I reached into the fish tank and let the tadpoles swim between my fingers, and I was thrilled by the feeling.Once, one of the tadpoles, full of ambition, jumped out of the tank and onto the ground.When I touched it, it was half dead, and the only sign of life was its gently wriggling tail.But I quickly put it back into the fish tank, so the tadpole plunged into the bottom of the water and swam happily in the fish tank.Although its willful leap almost killed itself, but this leap also made it see a wider world.Now, it has got its wish and returned to its warm and beautiful glass house. I believe that under the protection of the lantern crabapple tree next to it, it will grow into a very majestic frog in the future.At that time, it can jump freely in the pond full of water plants in the garden, and sing the praises of love when the summer night comes.This is how I slowly learned the meaning of life.

Although every teacher can lead a child into the classroom, not every teacher can make him learn something.Children will not take the initiative to learn willingly, so the teacher must let the children feel the sense of accomplishment after learning the knowledge and let the children understand how regretful it is to not understand the knowledge. Only in this way can the children accept it willingly. Learn this, and stand up to those dull, monotonous books.Teacher Sullivan did just that, revealing the mysteries of this world bit by bit for me in an orderly way.It was her presence that filled my life with love and joy and made it special.She never misses an opportunity to show me the beauty of everything and never gives up trying.She enriches my life and guides me to be a useful person in society with my thoughts, words and deeds.

Teacher Sullivan's intelligence, strong compassion, and her patient teaching made my early education so colorful.She always seized the right moment and made me happy to accept the knowledge she imparted.She knew that in the course of education a child's mind is like a shallow brook, a swelled brook that flows merrily through its pebbly channels, and often a sprig of flower is reflected in the water, A small tree, or the reflection of a floating cloud.It was this way she was trying to lead me—that a brook should be fed by mountain streams and underground springs until it grew into a broad and deep river, which, because of its calm surface, reflected The endless mountains next to it, the bright blue sky, and of course the smiling faces of every flower presented to the world.

I was so close to Mrs. Sullivan that I couldn't imagine what it would be like to leave her.Am I born with an instinct to indulge in beautiful things, or is it a teacher's guide?I can never tell.I just feel that she and I are an inseparable whole, and my life footprint is also her life trajectory.I owe the best movement in my life to her. She awakened the talents, talents, interests and aspirations that were dormant in my life. She made me feel happy in life.

christmas surprise

Everyone in our family valued Mrs. Sullivan's first Christmas in Tuscumbia.Everyone was planning to surprise me, but what they didn't expect was that Teacher Sullivan and I were also planning to surprise others.I was filled with a great sense of joy and curiosity about those mysterious gifts.My friends did their best to whet my appetite with hints and half-spelled sentences.Teacher Sullivan and I continued to play guessing games. Compared with the knowledge learned in the classroom, this way of entertaining and teaching allowed me to master more language skills.Every night we sat by the burning fire and played a guessing game, my mood growing more and more excited as Christmas drew closer.

On Christmas Eve, the students in Tuscumbia erected a Christmas tree in the middle of the classroom and invited me to join in the celebration.Under the soft light, the beautiful Christmas tree shimmers with crystal glimmers, and people adorn its branches with many strange fruits.It was indeed a joyous moment of universal celebration, and I got carried away bouncing and hopping around the Christmas tree.I was even happier when I learned that every child would get a gift.The enthusiastic people who decorated the Christmas tree allowed me to distribute presents to other children.While distributing the presents, I couldn't help but think about my share. I was so excited that I couldn't help but hope that Christmas would come as soon as possible so that I could see my presents.I knew my presents would not be the ones that my friends had hinted at, because Mrs. Sullivan had secretly told me that the presents I got were much better than the rumored ones.

On Christmas Eve, I hung my stockings on the head of the bed and couldn't fall asleep for a long time.I pretended to be asleep but kept alert because I wanted to see when Santa was coming.But this kind of thinking didn't last long. After a while, I fell asleep with my new doll and little white bear in my arms.The next morning, I was the first to wake up the family and wish them a "Merry Christmas".

To my amazement, the gifts were not only hidden in the socks, but were piled up on the table, on the chairs, by the door, and on the windowsill.I could hardly move among the piles of Christmas presents wrapped in tissue paper.Especially when I found out that Teacher Sullivan gave me a canary, I danced happily.

I named this canary "Tim" and little Tim was a very docile bird who hopped on my fingers and ate candied cherries out of my hands.Ms. Sullivan taught me how to take care of my new pet.After breakfast every day, I will bathe the bird, clean its cage, add fresh food and water to its small cup, and finally hang a blooming chickweed on its on the swing.

One morning I left the cage on a chair by the window and went to fetch my little Tim a bath.Just as I came back to open the door, I felt a big cat slip past me.At first I didn't realize that something was going to happen, but when I reached into the cage, I realized that Tim's beautiful wings were no longer within reach, and his tiny, pointed claws didn't want to hold my fingers as usual.At that moment, I realized that I would never hear Tim's bright and crisp singing again.

walking in boston
Another great event in my life was a trip to Boston, in May, 1888.The scene at that time is vivid in my mind, as if it happened yesterday.This trip was very different from my trip to Baltimore two years ago.I am no longer that excited little girl who goes around looking for fun and attracts a carload of attention.This time, I sat quietly beside Teacher Sullivan and "listened" to her talking about the scenery outside the car window: the beautiful Tennessee River, the vast cotton fields, mountains and forests; a group of talking and laughing black people on the platform Wave to passengers; delicious candy and popcorn delivered through the windows.

I dressed my big rag doll, Nancy, in a new plaid dress and a lace sunbonnet, and sewed glass eyes on her.Now it is sitting on the seat opposite to me. When I don’t understand the description of Teacher Sullivan, I think of Nancy. I still hold her in my arms. I will tell myself that Nancy is sleeping. This way I will be very quiet and hope not to disturb it.

But I'm afraid there will be no chance to mention Nancy in the future, because it was a terrible sight after it arrived in Boston.She was covered in stains—mostly leftovers from "mud pies" I'd force-fed her—though she never showed a fondness for the food.The laundress at the Perkins Institute for the Blind gave her a bath without telling me, which was a disaster for poor Nancy.When I saw her again, she had completely turned into a ball of cotton.If it hadn't been glaring at me with those glass eyes, I would hardly have recognized her at all.

When the train stopped at the Boston platform, it was like a beautiful fairy tale came true.This time is the "long ago", and this place is the "distant country".

As soon as we arrived at the Perkins Institute for the Blind, I started making friends with the blind children here.My excitement was palpable because I found out that my companions were able to communicate using the sign language alphabet.What a joy to be able to speak to other children in my own language!Before this, I have always been like a foreigner, needing a translator to speak.It took me a while to realize that my new friends were also blind.Although I can't see it myself, when I am surrounded by a group of hospitable and invisible companions, playing and having fun, I am so happy that this is almost impossible.

When I spoke to my friends, they would hold out their hands and let me spell words on them.Moreover, they can read books with their fingers.Besides, I found that they all had hearing, and I was both surprised and distressed when I discovered this.Even though my family had told me this before coming here, and I was aware of my sensory deficits, I vaguely thought that since they could hear, they must have some kind of "second sight."Of course, I didn't expect to find a child who was blind and deaf like me. I think hearing, like sight, is a precious gift from God to mankind.But in any case, they were so happy and content, and being in the friendship of their partners, I completely forgot my troubles and sorrows.

(End of this chapter)