#7 Caroline Casey

Caroline Casey TED Talk Response:

Imagine suddenly being told that you were no longer able to do what you dreamed of doing.  This is the story of Caroline Casey who wanted to be a "biker chick" until she was told that she was legally blind at the age of seventeen.  From that moment, she worked her hardest to defy the limitations and labels society placed on her.  She believed that she could do anything with her trust in herself and her confidence to overcome her blindness.  She viewed her blindness as an obstacle rather than part of herself.  But then she talked to an eye specialist and he asked the question that changed her focus, he asked, "Why? Why are you trying so hard not to be yourself?"  She decided to accept blindness as a part of her and realized that people need to accept themselves for who they are.  She realized that she needed to pursue her dream and she did, she travelled across India on an elephant named Kanchi.  She then started a foundation called Elephant Family to help keep the asian elephants protected, she also started a company named Kanchi to help the mindset of society about people with disabilities.   Her story was very inspiring to me and it helped me to believe that anything is possible.

I was surprised when she told the audience that she was legally blind.  Her movements were so natural and it seemed that she could see everything.  She was walking around the stage and moving her hands.  She was very casual and used stories to help the audience understand her.

Caroline Casey ended with the fact that we need to accept all of what we are, without trying to be someone you are not.  I found this fact very important because, as a teenage girl in high school, many girls around me complain about not being "perfect" or not fitting in and they downplay major parts of their personality to be liked by their peers.  The world can learn from Casey's point, everyone has to accept all of themselves and this can be accomplished by not putting stereotypes or labels on anyone who might stand out because it can make them feel less comfortable with their uniqueness.  By doing this, no one feels like they have to defy society's limitations just to accomplish what they dreamed of doing like Caroline first felt she had to.  She rode Kanchi 1000km across India because she wanted to, not because she was expected to.  She accepted herself as perfect in her own way and lived her dream.  After listening to Casey's presentation, I have a question for you: "Why should you try to be perfect?"