I am impressed by people that perform beyond the expectations of others. While in High School, I became familiar with students at the State School for the Deaf and Blind. My Dad, a teacher in the public school system was offered a part time job teaching 1 class at the school. It was fascinating to watch the blind students as they did things that we often take for granted. They were able to walk to classes and seemed to pay little attention to their “disability”. They even played games and lived a life that was surprisingly normal in many aspects.
My Dad taught bricklaying to deaf students and I quickly learned to sign, so I could talk to them, and of course understand them. I developed a close friendship with two of the students and after they graduated, we remained friends. We would attend football and basketball games. We went to the county fair and did other things together. Their attitudes were amazing and they were mentally sharp. They were fun to be around and just like my other friends with the exception that they could not hear or talk, but we could communicate.
When out in public, there were many lessons that I learned that helped shape my life. The first is that if you sign, people make the assumption that YOU can’t hear. Also, they also seem to have a preconceived notion that you are less intelligent than those who can speak. This results in your opportunities for employment being limited. The jobs that are offered to you are restricted, not by your abilities, but by the perception others have of you. This in turn affects your entire life.
As isolated as the incident with Derrick Coleman is concerned, there are so many other instances when people make assumptions about you that affect you without giving you a chance to show them wrong. This is most obvious with physical differences in people, where people have preconceived notions of the limits of your capabilities without really knowing or giving you the opportunity to show what you can do. Without this very valuable lesson, it is easy for us to make the same false assumptions about other people. It is also easy for many of us to lose faith in our abilities because of the assumptions of someone else.
This is where Derrick Coleman comes on so strong. He is a determined man who knows who he is and takes advantage of his God given talent. Derrick Coleman has had to overcome obstacles and realizes that doing so is what makes a person strong. Derrick is a professional football player with the Super Bowl XLVIII Champion Seattle Seahawks. The road that he has taken has been hard, but he shows the undefeatable spirit that is the essence of mankind.
He was told that he could not play football, that he did not even belong on the field, yet deep inside, he had the desire to do so and realized that he could accomplish whatever he set his mind to. Whether he knew it or not, he refused to take no for an answer. He pursued his dream despite the odds. He played on the collegiate level, but was an undrafted free agent going to play for the Minnesota Vikings before being released. Many people would have given up somewhere along the way, but Derrick was determined. He was picked up by the Seahawks and has been rewarded for his remarkable resilience.
Derrick is the first deaf offensive player in the league. The goal that Derrick started with was not to be the first deaf player, his goal was to play! His accomplishment is that he did not let being deaf stand in his way to his goal of not just playing, but being a great player.
Many times we have what others consider to be handicaps and we hide those things because we don’t want others to know that we have had a problem. We do this without realizing that by sharing our struggle that we are inspiring someone else. We are helping another human being realize that if you can do it, so can I.
My being impressed with Derrick Coleman goes further than just the fact that he is a member of the Seattle Seahawks. I must admit that I am a fan of the team and have been steady in my support since they were formed in 1976.
There are two reasons for my being a fan of this remarkable man and football player. First he has demonstrated the ability to overcome obstacles, and second, he is willing to give back to the community. These two traits are what made this country great in the first place.
Everyone has challenges in their life and the heroes are the ones that overcome them. Many times the challenges are not visible to others, so it is a personal struggle, but it is a struggle none the less. It is especially difficult when large numbers of people see you as having an unconquerable challenge or as we are so quick to say, handicap. People tell you that you CAN’T do it. They tell you all the time and if you are not strong, you fall for this bull.
When people rise above the fray, I am impressed. Derrick is such a person. His faith allows him not only to rise above it all, but to realize that he is blessed to be able to do so.
We have seen the Duracell commercials featuring Derrick. We have seen the inspiration that he is to others as in the commercial where he inspires twin girls who also have a hearing difficulties. Even if we don’t have a hearing difficulty, we can all learn from this great human being. We all have our challenges, some are visible, some not so much, but it takes the attitude that Derrick personifies to rise above it all.
What do we learn from Derrick Coleman?
- Learn yourself and what YOU want to do with your life
- Be willing to pay the price of your dreams
- Start on your path to success and don’t give up
- Realize that you are blessed with the ability to dream and that dreams can be fulfilled
- Realize that while people can help you, you must be willing to do the work required
- Enjoy your success and be willing to give back
- Inspire someone else with your success
Make your life an inspiration to others!
To Derrick Coleman, you are the personification of the word HERO … and you have the super bowl ring to go with it. Congratulations Derrick Coleman, an American Hero!