Blind Therapy

My latest volunteer gig involves me assisting a visually impaired lady with various small duties. For the most part though, my main role seems to be attending to her loneliness.

If you’ve never had much experience with blind people then your conditioning will have you forget about their disability. During my first visit with her I saw that she was going to step on a bag on the floor so I told her to, “watch out.” It reminded me of the time I told a paraplegic in a wheelchair to “get up.” I’m sure one day I will tell a deaf-mute to “listen and be quiet.”

I’m not sure who is feeling more pity for whom. As she asks more personal questions she receives a compilation of somber answers. She cannot fathom a person with my background and current situation to be living a life not requiring professional intervention.

She seems quite persistent with trying to help me with my perceived personal shortcomings even with my assurances to her that I’m fine. My automatic response to questions is to be honest but it may be more polite and pragmatic to paint a mental picture that shows at least some roses. But then again, I may be giving her a new found purpose in life.

 

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