THE GIFT OF DYSLEXIA
The gift of dyslexia is the ability to think multi-dimensionally. While the ability to see in pictures and to change one's point of focus or reference point is a handicap in reading, it can also be a source of creativity and brilliance.
The author notes that many famous people have been dyslexic. The list includes Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Leonardo daVinci, Walt Disney, Winston Churchill, Hans Christian Anderson, Woodrow Wilson, Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, and many others. The question is whether these individuals succeeded in spite of dyslexia, or in some way because of it.
For example, Albert Einstein said he came up with the theory of relativity because he imagined himself riding on a light wave. This task requires a radical shift of perspective that might be much easier for a dyslexic than someone without the dyslexic trait. Recall that dyslexics can see perspectives that a normal person cannot. According to Ronald Davis, dyslexics also process information much faster than others. Both these traits would be helpful for certain creative endeavors.
Dyslexics often excel as engineers, plumbers, inventors and at crafts or artistic pursuits because they can manipulate objects in their head for the purpose of drawing them, designing them or repairing them.
Since the number of dyslexics is increasing, one wonders whether dyslexia could be an evolutionary change in which new brain functions are manifesting in more and more children. The problem for most dyslexics is they are labeled learning-disabled in school and are so frustrated they often don't continue their education to develop their abilities. |
