First published in Hamilton Spectator February 9, 2001
It is used daily. It is everywhere. It is one of the most powerful tools society has ever used or ever will use. It is the written word. This amazing tool enables us to exchange and share opinions, experiences, stories, ideas, wants, needs, instructions, information, etc. It comes in many forms -- books, magazines, newspapers, journals, manuals, e-mail and Web pages, to name only some. Mastering the skills of reading and writing is so crucial to our well-being in today's world. In order to function with competence in terms of employment, safety, recreation, health and the general care of our lives, we must interact with the printed word in one way or another. My own journey into the huge text world was a long and difficult one. Due to my lack of speech and inability to experiment with the spoken word, I encountered tremendous problems learning to read and write. I guess it is because of these difficulties that I hold the gift of being literate and able to function in the print environment in such high esteem. If you are reading this column, you, too, are able to operate in the literacy world. We are blessed beyond measure because, surprisingly enough, a high percentage of the population has trouble when it comes to reading and/or writing.
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