What if You Couldn't Read?

I read - a lot!  I couldn't imagine picking up a newspaper or magazine (printed in English-of course) and not being able to read it.  But, that is the reality for a lot of people. 

They are functionally literate; able to do their job, have rudimentary reading skills and can get by day to day.  Get by - what does that say about their lives?  Every day, they live with the knowledge that they may be found out.   My Great Grandfather was just such a man.

He was nine when he became a fatherless child.  At age 12, he was hired out to a farmer and was on his own since that time.  School was out of the question.  Somehow, he was able to learn enough to get by and at one point even owned his own business. He became a successful welder, builder, river runner, served in both the first and second World War and all the while, no one was any the wiser for his lack of reading ability; until he was 90. 

When he turned 90, he was informed that he would have to re-write the test for his driver's licence.  That created a problem as he could barely read in either official language, English or French.  Rather than let anyone know he couldn't understand the test, he let his licence go and moved into town.  Of course he needn't have done that as an oral test would have sufficed, but, that would entail having to admit that he couldn't read well enough to take the test.  After spending a lifetime of getting by on his wits alone, this was the event that would reveal the limit to his abilities.  His life and pride would not let that happen and when he eventually died, many people still did not know he had limited reading ability.  And, this coincidentally, is when I found out about his limits.  Even family members could be in the dark when it comes to literacy.  There is a shame associated with it, that shouldn't be, since we don’t expect anyone to automatically know how to do anything else.  But, we believe everyone should be able to read. 

What of the people in your life?  Are any struggling?  Why not give them the gift of literacy?  We live in a time that doesn't allow for people to not know some reading, but, some reading may not be enough for their lifetime.  Get to know and offer solutions.  After all, if it had been your Grandfather, what would you have done?