VISUALLY IMPAIRED

“To be blind is bad, but worse is to have eyes and not see.”

Helen Keller

I work for the South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind and in my time here I have seen blind people doing what we think to be impossible. They have heightened senses of touch, taste, hearing and smell. I’m amazed at what they can do for themselves. An IT specialist, blinded in an accident, rides his motorcycle with the assistance of voice navigators every year in a special parade. It’s awesome. I always sit on the patio, mouth agape at the wonder of the blind.

What I find terribly sad is that we have sight, maybe a little dimmed by bad eyes, but we have it all the same. We have become so used to the hustle and bustle of everyday life, taking for granted what we see. To us all that we see is normal, average and boring.

We see so little of the world around us. We don’t see the love that the people in our lives have for us. We don’t see the flowers in full bloom, or even the opportunities before us. How is it possible for us to get optimum enjoyment from life?

Just for one hour, take the time and sit quietly. Look at your surroundings. The trees are bare in this season. The sun’s rays, bright in a mostly clear blue sky, warming even the coldest of places. Look at the people in your life; see them for who they are and what they mean to you. It’s with the windows of the soul that you observe that. Learn to embrace with your eyes the beauty that God has given.

VISUALLY IMPAIRED

“To be blind is bad, but worse is to have eyes and not see.”

Helen Keller

I work for the South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind and in my time here I have seen blind people doing what we think to be impossible. They have heightened senses of touch, taste, hearing and smell. I’m amazed at what they can do for themselves. An IT specialist, blinded in an accident, rides his motorcycle with the assistance of voice navigators every year in a special parade. It’s awesome. I always sit on the patio, mouth agape at the wonder of the blind.

What I find terribly sad is that we have sight, maybe a little dimmed by bad eyes, but we have it all the same. We have become so used to the hustle and bustle of everyday life, taking for granted what we see. To us all that we see is normal, average and boring.

We see so little of the world around us. We don’t see the love that the people in our lives have for us. We don’t see the flowers in full bloom, or even the opportunities before us. How is it possible for us to get optimum enjoyment from life?

Just for one hour, take the time and sit quietly. Look at your surroundings. The trees are bare in this season. The sun’s rays, bright in a mostly clear blue sky, warming even the coldest of places. Look at the people in your life; see them for who they are and what they mean to you. It’s with the windows of the soul that you observe that. Learn to embrace with your eyes the beauty that God has given.