Helen Keller was born a normal, healthy baby on June 27, 1880, but, due to sudden illness, she lost both her sight and hearing at only 18 months of age. Her parents enlisted the help of Anne Sullivan, a recent graduate of Perkins Institute for the Blind, to teach Helen. Anne and Helen built a lifelong relationship. With Anne’s assistance, Helen was able to go on to gain a formal education at the Horace Mann School for the Deaf in Boston, where she learned not only to write, but also to speak.
After graduating from college at the top of her class, Helen became involved in social and political activism. Over the course of her life she received numerous honors and medals for her work and accomplishments as well as several honorary degrees.
Below are ten inspirational quotes from this extraordinary woman.
1. The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched but must be felt with the heart.
2. Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.
3. Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.
4. Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.
5. I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.
6. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
7. Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
8. Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.
9. It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision.
10. Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.
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