First of all, I am horrible about blogging and technologically what the marketing folks call a "laggard." I don't keep up with techie lingo, gadgets, and trends. I find technology surrounds or even engulfs me, so at the end of the day it's kind of nice to have some actual face time and not be so connected. Although, I am so connected!
Any who, I was in deep thought today, probably a squinted brow and staring at a random safety procedures poster on the metro "just in case," when something came to me: I am so grateful to SEE! It sounds strange to be so grateful to have eye sight (although I have gotten contacts recently). I see so many people with guide dogs on the metro, in the metro, on the streets, and I am utterly amazed.
My roommate and I stopped and guided a blind woman home one day. We learned she had a boyfriend, they shared an apartment, she had a child. She dressed stylishly, and albeit the cane and lack of direct eye contact, I probably wouldn't have known. She was very grateful that we helped walk her home. She hesitated off to the side of the crowd before exiting the station, and I took a look at her, then my roommate, and we knew what we had to do. A woman huffed at us at the top of the metro. It was disgusting. Are you really that inconvenienced lady that we are helping and talking to a nice woman? It's very cliche of people to be angered here when they can't move through at lightning speed. But look at what you can learn from someone when you finally stop and help. Mind you, there are tons of reasons NOT to help, especially in the city of beggars (aka DC); but, it was nice to have a good conversation and walk arm in arm to her apartment building. We could have been anyone, she could have been anyone, but sometimes it's nice to open up and help someone out.
I often wonder what brought this on, and how the blind are able to get along in such a rat race. Do they count steps? Do they ask for help? Do their dog have their pattern so together that this is the sole purpose of the guide dog? I want to pet the puppy! I sometimes have a hard time dodging traffic and I CAN see. Then I get proud of those who are visually challenged for continuing on with the day to day life. I wonder what they do for a living, and hope they have a good job. It completely amazes, and I had to comment on the www of how I am grateful to SEE!
SEE ya later :)
Heather
