Deaf Quotes

“Music is like a dream. One that I cannot hear.”
― Ludwig van Beethoven

“Silence is a lie that screams at the light.”
― Shannon L. Alder

“One of the most effective ways to learn about oneself is by taking seriously the cultures of others. It forces you to pay attention to those details of life which differentiate them from you.”
― Edward T. Hall, The Silent Language

“Live the life you wish to, date the man you wish to date, and stop looking to your family for affirmation for the choices that you make. Life is full of risks. You can't live your life in fear of how people will judge you for following your dreams.”
― David Sullivan, The Sound of Your Voice

“There is a master way with words which is not learned but is instead developed: a deaf man develops exceptional vision, a blind man exceptional hearing, a silent man, when given a piece of paper...”
― Criss Jami, Venus in Arms

“Listen to all the conversations of our world, between nations as well as between individuals. They are, for the most part, dialogues of the deaf.”
― Paul Tournier

“If I hadn't lost my hearing, I wouldn't be where I am now. It forced me to maximize my own potential. I have to be better than the average person to succeed.”
― Lou Ferrigno

“Do not shout at me, Mr. Quill," said John [Adams]. "Justice may be blind, but she is not deaf.”
― Orson Scott Card, Heartfire

“Ken brought my hand to his lips and kissed it. I'd been paying so much attention to Ken, I didn't know what happened during the game. I don't think anyone cared too much what the outcome was after Ken's at bat.

"Do you know who won?" I asked Cooper, who automatically translated into sign language for Shawn.

Shawn laughed his odd laugh and signed something back. He looked at Ken, who had an arm wrapped possessively around my waist.

Cooper grinned. "Shawn says it looks like you did, Jordie.”
― Z.A. Maxfield, Physical Therapy

“For the rest of our lives, all we can hear are our names chanted over and over, until we are deaf to everything else.”
― Sherman Alexie, Reservation Blues

“Scissors! Scissors! Have ye got yer ane scissors?? Are ye deaf??”
― Neil Gaiman, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

“We're deaf men working as musicians; we play the music but we can't hear it.”
― Sebastian Faulks, Engleby

“...You won't even see what is put right on the table before you. Men. If it was raining soup you'd be out there with a fork.”
― Robin Hobb, Golden Fool

“You didn’t know your dog was deaf?” “No, we thought it was stupid.”
― Trevor Noah, Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood

“Steven Seagal makes movies only blind people could love. I'm glad he goes full Helen Keller and makes music you have to be deaf to appreciate.”
― Jarod Kintz, Powdered Saxophone Music

“The same battle in the clouds will be known to the deaf only as lightning and to the blind only as thunder.”
― George Santayana

“If you are the one person who has read my book, I'm sorry that it made you blind. For the full Helen Keller Experience, try the audiobook version.”
― Jarod Kintz, Eggs, they’re not just for breakfast

“Believe it or not, my hearing loss does not have me in a constant state of FOMO (fear of missing out). JOMO, the joy of missing out,
is a better description.”
― Tiffany Storrs, Adaptability: A True Story About Transforming Pain Into Purpose

“NOTE: The character of Aoleon is deaf. This conversation takes place in the book via sign language...

“Feeling a certain kind of way Aoleon?”
She snapped-to and quickly became defensive. “What in the name of the Goddess are you on about?”
Shades of anger and annoyance. The old Aoleon coming out.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t poke at you like that. It’s okay you know. There’s nothing wrong about the way you feel.”
As if suddenly caught up in a lie, Aoleon cleared her throat and ran her fingers absentmindedly over her ear and started to fidget with one of the brass accents in her snowy hair.
A very common nervous reaction.
“No…I mean…well I was…uh...”
“Aoleon, I know about you and Arjana.” he admitted outrightly as he pointed at the drawing.
She coughed, stuttered, smiled, but could bring herself to fully say nothing. Words escaped her as she looked about the room for answers.
“My sight is Dįvįnë, lest we forget. I knew you were growing close.”
“Yes. Well…she’s…something else.”
“Indeed?” he responded.
Images flashed briefly in Aoleon’s head of her father’s old friend. Verging on her fiftieth decade of life. She was a fierce woman by all accounts. One who’d just as soon cut you with words as she would a blade. Yet, she was darling and caring towards those she held close to her. Lovely to a fault; in a wild sort of way. Dark skin, the colour of walnut stained wood. Thick, kinky hair fashioned into black locs that faded into reddish-brown tips that were dyed with Assamian henna; the sides of her head shaved bare in an undercut fashion. Tattoos and gauged ears. Very comfortable with her sexuality. Dwalli by blood, but a native of the Link by birth although she wasn’t a Magi. Magick was her mother’s gift.
“I heard her say something very much the same about you once Aoleon.”
“Really?” Aoleon perked up right away. “Did she?”
“Yes. After she first met you in fact. Nearly exactly.”
Aoleon’s smile widened and she beamed happiness. She sat up assertively and gave a curt nod. “Well, of course she did.”
“She’s held such a torch for you for so long that I was starting to wonder if anything would actually come of it.”
“Yeah. Both you and Prince Asshole.” Aoleon exclaimed with a certainty that was absolute as she once again tightened up with defensiveness.
Samahdemn walked his statement back. “Peace daughter. I didn't know your brother had been giving you a row about her. Then again, he is your brother. So anything is possible.”
Aoleon sighed and nodded. “Not so much problems as he’s been giving me the silent treatment over it. Na’Kwanza. It’s always Na’ Kwanza.”
Samahdemn nodded knowingly and waived a dismissive hand. “He’s just jealous. He always has been.”
“So I’ve noticed.”
“Why would you hide it? Why not tell me?”
“I don’t know.” she said; shrugging her shoulders. “I didn’t know how you’d take it I suppose.”
“Seriously? You were afraid of rejection? From me? Love, have I ever held your individuality against you? Have I ever not supported you or your siblings?”
She shook her head; a bit embarrassed that she hadn't trusted him. "No, I suppose not."

-Reflections on the Dįvonësë War: The Dįvįnë Will Bear Witness to Fate”
― S.H. Robinson

“The difference between victims and survivors is whether you’re found in time. We cannot swim while the other sinks. I imagine the lonely and wild out there bobbing on the waves. Waiting to be washed ashore or dragged out by the tide. Names unknown, dreams forgotten.”
― Ann Clare LeZotte, Set Me Free

“Despite winning five Deaf Olympic medals, the lack of recognition and support is like a silent injustice.”
― Dipti Dhakul, Quote: +/-

“Heavy are the hands that bear the signs.”
― Mickey Carolan, Mom Dad Not Hear: 30 Powerful Stories and Lessons about Leadership, Life, and Love from My Deaf Parents

“Do you ever wish you could hear?"
"I can hear. I just listen differently than you."
hardcover page 270”
― Kerry O'Malley Cerra, Hear Me

“They all know the chant except her. She tries to follow along but her signs are halting. Still, the people on either side of her smile at her. The silence in the room is overwhelming, broken as it is by nothing but the involuntary sounds of the deaf and the rustling of the sleeves of the signing people. The girl is about to start to cry when she hears around her a muted chuckling sound. Who’s laughing, she thinks furiously, only to realize that the sound was the sniffling of other people already weeping. At the realization, she is hard-put to suppress giggles instead. She thinks: maybe all ritual has mystery and absurdity, and maybe that is what it is for. It is a curious and complex thought and like most of her legacy from the madwoman it makes her head hurt. She concentrates then on her signing.”
― Candas Jane Dorsey, Black Wine

“What if sign language was just as mainstream in education as any other language?”
― Tiffany Storrs, Adaptability: A True Story About Transforming Pain Into Purpose

“When I climb into bed at night and remove my cochlear implants my entire world stops moving. It is in these quiet moments with myself at night that I find restoration.”
― Tiffany Storrs, Adaptability: A True Story About Transforming Pain Into Purpose

“When you see life’s unexpected events as divine teachers, you begin to notice the blessings and the miracles hidden inside each setback.”
― Tiffany Storrs, Adaptability: A True Story About Transforming Pain Into Purpose

“God kept me on this Earth so that I could be a light for Him, a warrior, a source of inspiration for people struggling. He also equipped me to be a bridge between the hearing and deaf communities.”
― Tiffany Storrs, Adaptability: A True Story About Transforming Pain Into Purpose

“And he said...

...deaf ears will never hear the truth in the world.”
― Anthony T. Hincks

“Mr. Lazar says," Hearing loss is just that, a loss. It can be just as traumatic as losing a loved one or a pet, and it takes time to move on. So I wonder, have you all really given yourselves, and especially Rayne, enough time to grieve her loss? "
Hardcopy pg. 287”
― Kerry O'Malley Cerra, Hear Me