You're probably familiar with the story of Helen Keller. Helen was a blind and deaf girl who went on to become a prolific author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer. She would have grown up severely disadvantaged if not for a compassionate woman named Anne Sullivan.

When the two of them met, young Helen was in a cage and would only growl at her new teacher. But Anne, nearly blind herself due to a childhood fever, worked with Helen on every aspect of her life: perception, recognition, personal habits, manners, and speech. In time, the two of them became inseparable partners.

By the time Helen reached adulthood, she was a changed woman. She was communicating efficiently, eating by herself, and taking care of her personal needs. Helen would go on to attend Radcliffe College of Harvard University and become the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. She worked for the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) from 1924 until 1968, during which she toured the United States and traveled to 35 countries around the globe advocating for those with vision loss.

Helen was also a prolific author, writing 14 books and hundreds of speeches and essays on topics ranging from animals to Mahatma Gandhi. Helen campaigned for those with disabilities, for women's suffrage, labor rights, and world peace. Anne Sullivan had brought about an absolute transformation in her protégé, helping her to become an educated, self-sufficient, world-changer of a woman.

What you might not know about this story is that Anne Sullivan later experienced her own life crisis.

When she suffered a relapse of her previous childhood condition, she became completely blind. Ironically, the "miracle worker" was in need of someone to help her. Can you guess who stepped forward to fill the role?

Helen Keller, of course.

The recipient of Anne's encouragement and instruction extended her hand to her former mentor. Helen was able to give back to the very one who had given so much to her.

To close out this beautiful story, I'm reminded of a quote from the great American theologian A.W. Tozer, which appropriately summarizes the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan:

"God is looking for [people] through whom He can do the impossible―what a pity that we plan only the things we can do by ourselves."