[Blindtlk] matters of belief: was: Re: Getting Lost

Tue May 13 14:34:22 UTC 2014

I think sometimes our contributions to the world are obvious, like Abraham 
Lincoln or the Dali Llama, but for most of us it is the seemingly little 
things that we don't think about that make the most difference.

A couple of stories...
My son was approached in the hall at school by a freshman that he barely 
knew.  He didn't even know the kid's name.  the kid proceeded to thank my 
Kiddo profusely for making his mother's day.  My son, having no clue what 
the kid was talking about asked what he meant.  The freshman then said that 
my son had smiled hugely and waved at his mother who was driving by as my 
Kiddo was walking home from school.  She is a single mother, had a 
particularly difficult day and was worried about a lot going on in her life. 
My son simply smiling and waving at her changed her entire outlook.  She was 
able to smile, and regain a sense of calm about her situation.  My son had 
no idea who he was waving at, he smiles and waves at most people he passes. 
the freshman only figured out that it was my son because of his quite unique 
backpack.  Otherwise my son would have never known what a difference he had 
made for that woman.

second story...Many years ago I was walking out of the grocery store.  My 
cane caught the foot of a man entering the store.  By reflex I said, "I'm 
sorry."  The man said in the kindest way, yet quite firmly, "never be 
sorry."   I think there may have been more to what he said, but that is what 
I remember.  It was exactly what I needed to hear in that moment.  I was 
recently divorced, a new single parent, struggling to make ends meet and 
sorting out my identity as a blind person.  I had gone through blindness 
training.  I knew all the philosophy.  I had good skills.  I thought I was 
confident, but why then did I choose to say, "I'm sorry" instead of "excuse 
me"?  It was a life altering experience.  No more apologizing to others for 
my presence.  I held my head up and walked proudly.  If I had occasion to 
I'd say, "excuse me" if I bumped into another person or tapped them with my 
cane, but from that moment there was no more, "I'm sorry".

I doubt that man has any clue what a profound difference his simple 
statement made.  My son would have never known if the other kid hadn't told 
him how much his simple gesture made to his mother.  How often do we tell 
people how much they mean to us?  How often do we get that opportunity, as 
in the case of random strangers? Just because we can't point to a single 
heroic moment in our lives, doesn't mean we haven't made a positive impact 
in the world.

Julie

-----Original Message----- 
From: Ray Foret Jr via blindtlk
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2014 8:46 AM
To: gwunder at earthlink.net ; Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] matters of belief: was: Re: Getting Lost

Well, Gary, I understand the point you are trying to make:  and, I would not 
venture to argue against it.  I was merely saying that for me, mere 
existance as a blind person is not enough for me.  I mean, look at me. 
Almost 49-years-old, and what have I got to show for all that training and 
hilosophy I received?  What real difference have I made in the world or my 
life so far?  What good is all that NFB philosophy if I can't use it to help 
make things better either for my family or myself or anybody else?  Fair 
questions I think.  And yet, I cannot help but think that eventually, I time 
will come.  When that will be, I don't know.  Yes, my time will come to make 
a difference before I get called away from this mortal coil.  I cannot 
believe that God let me have the training I received at the Louisiana center 
for the blind and all that NFB philosophy and belief for nothing but to 
exist.  No.  The fact that I am still here means that I am not yet done and 
I still have to do that for which I was sent here.

Sent from my mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the blind 
built-in!

Sincerely,
The Constantly Barefooted Ray, still a very happy Mac and Iphone 5 user!

On May 13, 2014, at 7:20 AM, Gary Wunder via blindtlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> 
wrote:

> Hello, Ray. My comment is philosophical and has nothing whatsoever to do
> with blindness.
>
> You say that mere existence is not enough, and at one level I agree with
> you. On the other hand, I have known a good number of kind, generous, and
> thoughtful people who lament the fact that they have made no contribution 
> to
> the world. What they usually mean by this is that they will not be
> remembered in the same way that Abraham Lincoln or George Washington will 
> be
> remembered. If that is really the standard, most of us will never make it.
> We will be known for a time in the small ponds in which we swam, but how
> many of us make changes on the world stage that will get our names etched
> into stones that people see or books that people read?
>
> I grew up thinking that my life would only have meaning if I could do
> something heroic like John Wayne did in all of his movies. The heroic 
> event
> has yet to come along, but I wonder if the magic of making a difference
> really is in getting up every day, doing the good that you can for other
> people, and bringing to the world what it is that God has given you to
> bring. One of those good and kind people who has spent considerable time
> wondering about the purpose of his life is my best friend. Is this
> meaningful, and, if I am someone's best friend, is this also meaningful?
> you know, I do not throw this out to be argumentative. I would just like
> others to think with me about what it means to have had a meaningful life
> and may be to extend the discussion beyond the perceptions that people 
> have
> about blindness.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ray Foret
> Jr
> Sent: Friday, May 02, 2014 9:00 AM
> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> Subject: [Blindtlk] matters of belief: was: Re: Getting Lost
>
> Well, being catholic myself, my faith informs me that God has a purpose 
> for
> both blind and sighted folks.  I do not believe that mere existance is
> enough of a life purpose for us.  I once complained to a priest that I had
> felt that I had not yet fulfilled my purpose in life and had yet to do
> anything which really made a difference.  Father said in reply to me, 
> "Well,
> you show up every weekend and that's an inspiration to us all.".
>
> Y'all, I'm sorry, but, for me, that's just not enough and certainly
> not what I was looking for.  My belief is that my time will eventially 
> come:
> and, when it does, God help anybody in my way.
>
>
> Sent from my mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the blind
> built-in!
>
> Sincerely,
> The Constantly Barefooted Ray, still a very happy Mac and Iphone 5 user!
>
> On May 2, 2014, at 8:43 AM, cheryl echevarria <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Well when I get members of religious organizations that come to my home 
>> on
> a daily bases, and no offense to our Brothers and Sisters that are reading
> this , and I don't shut my door on anyone who is offering me a kindly
> gesture or wants to talk about religion.
>> When they find out I am blind, they take me by the hand, and say you poor
> thing, you must pray to god and be a faithful person, and god will restore
> your sight, don't you know the story of how "Jesus can make the blind see
> again". I in turn thank them, and I say I am a faithful person.
>> But, I also say that means also that Jesus makes the blind see, by 
>> opening
> the eyes of the sighted to the faith as well.  Blind people are very
> faithful depending on their religious background I am Jewish, and my 
> husband
> is Catholic.
>>
>>
>> Cheryl Echevarria, PresidentNational Federation of the Blind's Travel
>> and Tourism DivisionA proud division of the National Federation of the
>> Blindwww.nfbtravel.org631-236-5138cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
>> Also Owner of Echevarria
>>
> Travel631-456-5394reservations at echevarriatravel.comwww.echevarriatravel.comD
> isabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY State The National Federation 
> of
> the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you 
> or
> your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because
> low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You
> can have the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.
>> Sign up for our e-newsletter by e-mailing us you first and last name, and
> e-mail address to reservations at echevarriatravel.com, let us know if you 
> want
> just text or pictures in your e-mail.
>> Echevarria Travel has partnered with Braille Smith.
>> www.braillesmith.com for all her braille needs.  Gail Smith is the
>> Secretary of the NFB of Alabama
>>
>>> From: blind411 at verizon.net
>>> To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>>> Date: Fri, 2 May 2014 09:26:54 -0400
>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Getting Lost
>>>
>>> Arielle,
>>> Whenever someone offers to pray for me because I am blind, I
> generally offer to pray for them because they are ignorant. I know that 
> this
> might offend them; however, their ignorance is just as offensive!
>>>
>>> Marion
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
>>> Arielle Silverman
>>> Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2014 9:02 PM
>>> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Getting Lost
>>>
>>> When I was in college, I was studying outside when a random guy came up
> and asked directions to another building. My cane was on the ground, and 
> he
> didn't realize I was blind until I was midway giving directions. Then he
> suddenly started offering me money and healing prayers, and it took me a
> while to get rid of him. I realized later that I should have asked him to
> pray for a good grade on my test instead of healing, but I digress. Anyway
> I'm not sure if he found the building he was looking for. It's a shame
> people would dismiss good, clear directions just because they come from a
> blind person.
>>>
>>> Arielle
>>>
>>> On 5/1/14, Ray Foret Jr <rforet7706 at comcast.net> wrote:
>>>> Quite funny.  Reminds me of a story that Carle Jacobson told of a
>>>> waitress who told him that she was going to put the water in the
>>>> smaller glass and the seven-up in the larger so he could tell the
>>>> difference:  but, ironically, it was she who could not tell in which
>>>> glass the water was and in which the drink was.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the
>>>> blind built-in!
>>>>
>>>> Sincerely,
>>>> The Constantly Barefooted Ray, still a very happy Mac and Iphone 5 
>>>> user!
>>>>
>>>> On May 1, 2014, at 3:23 PM, Marion Gwizdala <blind411 at verizon.net>
> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Dear All,
>>>>> I perform a song called, "I'm Not Lost; I am Exploring". I
>>>>> generally introduce the song by sharing a story told once by Dr.
>>>>> Abraham Nemeth while he was waiting for a bus in a crowded city. Two
> guys approached Dr.
>>>>> Nemeth and asked for directions. They were given very precise
>>>>> turn-by-turn directions to their destination. As they turned to
>>>>> walk away, one guy said to the other, "We might want to ask someone
> else; that guy's blind!" Dr.
>>>>> Nemeth replied, "Yes! I am blind; but I'm not the one who is lost!"
>>>>>
>>>>> Fraternally yours,
>>>>> Marion Gwizdala
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> directions
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
>>>>> Julie J
>>>>> Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2014 3:18 PM
>>>>> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>>>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Guide Dogs
>>>>>
>>>>> Yes, absolutely!  Sighted folks get lost too.  Coincidentally I
>>>>> just gave directions to a sighted lady trying to find my office
> building.
>>>>> She was close enough, I'd think she could see it from where she
>>>>> was, but I was able to get her here.
>>>>>
>>>>> Getting lost is no big thing.  The important part is having the
>>>>> skills and state of mind to get yourself unlost.  I've been lost my
>>>>> fair share and it's no fun, but it isn't the end of the world wither.
>>>>>
>>>>> And you can still get lost with a dog.  I've done that too.    For 
>>>>> some
>>>>> odd reason sighted people think the dog knows where to go and you
>>>>> have a poorly trained dog if you get lost.  Not true, the dog just
>>>>> follows directions.  If I tell him to go the wrong way, he's going to
> do it.
>>>>>
>>>>> Julie
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>>>
>>>>>> On May 1, 2014, at 1:52 PM, "Mark Tardif"
>>>>>> <markspark at roadrunner.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Anybody can get lost, even if you have excellent mobility.  I can
>>>>>> tell you about some of my getting lost experiences, and I think I
>>>>>> have excellent mobility skills.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Mark Tardif
>>>>>> Nuclear arms will not hold you.
>>>>>> -----Original Message----- From: Brandon Olivares
>>>>>> Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2014 1:25 PM
>>>>>> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>>>>>> Subject: [Blindtlk] Guide Dogs
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hello,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm wondering who on this list has guide dogs? I'm currently
>>>>>> applying for one through Guide Dogs for the Blind, and am curious
>>>>>> how difficult it is generally to get into one of these schools.
>>>>>> How good does your mobility need to be? I have always been told I
>>>>>> have good mobility, but today I got lost coming home from somewhere
> and it discouraged me a bit.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Also which do you think is the best school? I've heard a lot of
>>>>>> good things about Guide Dogs for the Blind so decided to apply there.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>> Brandon
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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