To Which World Do You Belong?
By Michael Gergley

To which world do you belong, the hearing of the deaf? When asked this question I would have to say, "Neither. I'm between two worlds. I'm hard of hearing." And although my primary means of communication is oral, I don't identify with the hearing world. Alternately although I have a severe hearing loss and use assistive listening devices such as a hearing aid, my residual hearing leaves me feeling I don't belong in the deaf community, either. So I'm left as the lyrics to a favorite song of mine say to ponder, "Where do I belong?"

Ironically enough, I have 'heard' the answer, not in some lecture or after reading some book on hearing loss. Nor was it a one-time happening where a tiny light bulb went on in my head, revealing in full color and sound where indeed I DID and DO belong. It HAS and WILL continue to be a process of self-discovery for me. 

So what does all this mean for my everyday challenges to find answers and have my unique needs met? Perhaps the best personal experience I can share was during a discussion on hearing loss during my graduate degree studies working towards my Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. Many hearing loss related issues were spoken about, but some, like being deaf and being hard of hearing, were grouped together as if their needs were the same. I took advantage of this opportunity to educate others about my unique world. And though I still sometimes feel between two worlds and I seem to always have to educate somebody else, in my world is where I belong.