Great things about being blind. Calming of the wind.

We were lucky and did not get pounded by the hurricane that has raged across the U.S. and parts of Canada. However, it was very windy yesterday. someone asked me a question about what disorients me and what makes me afraid. In some ways, that is wind. Wind makes it very difficult to hear. If you can't hear when you are blind, you don't hear traffic approaching, people approaching. It disorients you a little and you may not be sure quite where you are. all you hear is the sound of the wind. Or things blowing around. So, we set off for a walk yesterday but I found the wind hard to travel through and disorienting and since it was just a pleasure walk, we returned home. Today the wind is calm and I hear all things again. A friend describes the wind as a blind person's fog. It is in many ways. I like to hear the wind when I don't have to travel in it. Wind in the trees, wind howling when you are safe inside, wind on a beach near the ocean, all lovely. Wind on the street when you are trying to navigate your way about, not so lovely.

Great things about being blind. Echo location.

Yesterday, a friend and I were talking about echo location as she heard about it on the radio. That is where some blind people seem to be able to figure out things in their environment by clicking their tongues and hearing the sounds bouncing off objects. I am probably not explaining it well. As a kid, we called this facial vision as you kind of felt in your face when there were objects around you. I have it. don't know quite how I got it. It doesn't seem to be as involved as some people have but I haven't consciously practiced it. I do sense in my face when there are objects near me. People, trees, garbage cans. I can also sense door ways as I walk along a hallway. Open spaces and when building start up again after a parking lot. I am going to try to work on this skill more and see what happens. I'll keep the blog posted too.

Great things about being blind. Giving directions to lost sighted people.

A while back, I was walking down the sidewalk.  I reached a corner and was about to cross when I heard two people debating about where they were.  I could hear the rustle of maps and they sounded totally lost.  I heard the name of a near by hotel.  I knew exactly where it was.
So, I said, "Excuse me.  Are you lost?"  It seemed odd to say that as often sighted people ask me if I am lost even when I am not.  I may be just standing waiting for someone, waiting for my dog to do her business.  Just enjoying the air.  So, it seemed odd but kind of nice to ask if they were lost.
They said that they were and told me where they were trying to go.
I knew exactly how many streets they needed to cross.  What side of the road the hotel was on.  How many traffic lights there were.  I gave them very detailed and specific directions.
They were impressed.
They thanked me so much and as they left, one of them said,
"Next time we're lost.  Let's ask a blind person to help us."
YES!
That felt really great.
It also makes sense.
Blind people have to remember and know many more things about our environments.  So, next time you are lost, ask a blind person.

Great things about being blind. Having dogs locate chairs.

The other day, tulia found me a seat in a food court. Finding a seat does not sound like a huge feat really. When you think of all of the things guide dogs do. Guiding you around obstacles, working through traffic, negotiating crowds, all weather conditions, finding a seat sounds quite simple. But, it got me thinking about how each of my dogs has worked so differently. And, as in people, their personalities shone through in their work. I do not remember so much about my second guide Margaret's work as I had her the shortest time. but, it was fascinating to see how Tulia's mind and her personality worked the other day. I walked through the food court and then picked up a sandwich and drink from a place we've been to a few times. The last time we were there, we sat at a table closest to the food counter. This time, with food in hand, I directed Tulia to, "Find a chair." She took me confidently right up to that table wagging her whole body. I put my hand out to encounter the arm of a gentlman sitting at that table. Tulia, sat down, tilted her head back (I imagine looking up at him with her incredibly cute face) and wagged her whole self as she sat there. I said, "Okay tulia. Let's find a chair with no one sitting in it." Tulia continued to sit and wag. The man said, "You're dog is awfully cute." I thanked him. He offered to move so we could sit there. He said, "I think your dog is really wanting you to sit here." I said that it was okay and we would find another empty chair. Tulia got up, shook herself. I said, "Forward find the chair." And she did take me to an empty one and was quite proud of herself. But it made me think. My first guide black lab Gwenny and my golden Gia, also would find the chairs they thought I should sit in. The seat on the bus we always used. A seat in class we tended to sit in. Both of them would stand there in front of the seat and give a look. "You should move. This is Kim's seat and we sit here." Not a mean look but a steady one. Gia was so dignified and calm she would just look and stand there. If I insisted, she would find another seat but not before letting people know that the seat they were in really was hers. Tulia is such a happy, charming, cute little dog, she tends to use her happy cuteness as she seemed to be doing the other day. "Please please please that's the seat we want. I know it is I know it is. Don't you think you might want to move out of the way. Please please please. Aren't I cute? Aren't I the cutest dog ever? And so smart?" I think either style can work. It always fascinates me as I get to know each of my new guides and start to figure out how they think and how they work through situations. Tulia sure can turn on the charm. She's the kind of dog everyone wants to be around. Her self possession also impresses me. She knows what she wants and is confident as she wags towards it. Finding chairs was never so interesting with a cane.

Great things about being blind. Walking through crowds

Somehow when you travel with a white cane or especially with a guide dog, it is much easier to find your way through crowds. I remember once a friend of mine was on crutches and she was having a hard time getting people to move out of the way for her. My guide dog and I went ahead of her and the crowds just parted for us. As a cane traveler, people would see me coming swinging that cane back and forth and literally leap out of the way as if the cane was a poisonous snake or sharp sword. I don't know why the cane worked better than the crutches. I would imagine that working through crowds is tough for guide dogs. All they see is a sea of legs. They seem to like it though. My first guide dog (black lab Gwenny) worked crowds like a football player. Her whole purpose was to get to the front of the crowd as quickly as she could. And she was purposeful about it. She would whack people's legs with her little black lab head. She loved it. We would fly through crowds with barely a bump. My others have been a little more polite in crowds, tending to hang back until they see a clear path. But it is nice to move through crowds fairly easily and with dignity.