[blparent] Dealing with admiration from the public

[Michelle Creedy]

Hi Tara 

Funny you should email, because I just faced this issue this morning. In
this case, I did what you do and actually got into a little philosophy with
the person and tried to make her understand that it was the lack of
knowledge as to the regular lives we as blind people live that is really the
problem. People seem to forget that we have the same dreams and aspirations
as everyone else. 

As a student minister in the church, I can also tell you that church people
are the worst! I say this with love and I'm chuckling as I say it. I've been
known to stand up in front of the congregation and, instead of a sermon,
give them a few lessons in blindness in the most compassionate way possible.
I've actually had to stand up and announce to the entire congregation that
while I absolutely understand that they have good intentions, I ask that
they don't all run up and help me at the end of the service. I do a lot of
pulpit supply and once I couldn't find any of my stuff. It had been moved
off the pulpit with the best of intentions but I couldn't find it and I was
quite anxious. This meant I had to address the whole congregation next time
round. I've found that it is much easier to tell people what you want rather
than what you don't want. 

This doesn't really answer your questions but it's basically the only way
I've found to take my power back especially in a church setting. 

If the person has children, could you just sort of change the subject to ask
about their children and then find some common ground? That often helps
because they realize you're just a person like them.

Michelle


-----Original Message-----
From: blparent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tara Briggs
via blparent
Sent: Monday, January 05, 2015 1:55 PM
To: blparent at nfbnet.org
Subject: [blparent] Dealing with admiration from the public

Dear collective wisdom:
Since I started bringing my little girl to church, I have had lots of
comments on what an amazing person iamb for being her blind parent. I get a
little bit frustrated by these comments, because I wish I could just be seen
as a mom who happens to be blind rather than a blind mom. My responses have
been: to give people the parenting without site manual, to talk about my
blind friends who are parents and their experiences, and to say thank you as
graciously as I can. However, when a stranger who doesn't know me at all
says that I am in credible I feel a little bit hurt. I have tried to think
of why. I think this is because she is not getting to know me as a person.
She just sees that I'm a blind one. I'm not the one who's incredible, it's
the fact that a blind person is apparent that she finds incredible. Any
thoughts or advice?
Tara   briggs

Sent from my iPhone
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