Izabela Dłużyk was born blind in 1989, and despite all odds, she made it to the BBC 100 Women List in 2023.
Over the weekend, I read an inspiring reportage about Izabela in Pismo (available only in Polish, but you can listen to the BBC Documentary Izabela in the Forest—link in the references). It starts like another story of a miserable, unlucky individual and ends as a testament to resilience, the triumph of passion, and humble endurance against obstacles.
Izabela was born blind and had a difficult childhood. At the age of 12, she began her journey in the world of birds, discovering and recording their sounds. Over time, it became a passion and an escape from daily struggles, honing a unique sensitivity and building a fascinating new world of sounds. Ignored by her peers and teachers at school, she felt that hardly anyone cared about the sounds of nature, but she kept moving forward.
When I read her colorful descriptions of the different birds, I wanted to hear them too, to become part of that, and to see the world the way she does. We have multiple senses, yet we rely mostly on our eyes. Izabela shows us a special sensitivity—perhaps forced on her by life’s obstacles—but she came out richer, more capable of embracing the world in a way most of us cannot.
The way she speaks about her work and accomplishments is very humble:
For over 30 years I thought, ‘You have nothing special to offer to the world.’
There are no motivational statements or big words about a mission in life or a powerful purpose—which, in my view, makes her story even stronger. Little steps, one bird at a time, and over the years she created something very special: a fascinating new—or perhaps rediscovered—world that we often lack the time or sensitivity to appreciate. Maybe we should just listen to her birds and not overtalk it this time:
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References and Notes
Pilip, Ł. (2024, 4 grudnia). Izabela Dłużyk, pani od ptaszków. Pismo. Magazyn Opinii.
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