[Community-service] Is the call to serve for the sighted, the need to serve for the blind?

[Steven Johnson]

Hi Darian,

My immediate thought in response to your question is that we as persons who
are blind, are still called to serve but in other capacities.  Let me expand
on this a bit.  
Although "being called to serve" has a connotation of serving in the
military, Peace corps or the like, I feel it is also found at lower levels
starting in our own communities, regions, states and at the federal level.
Part of this is due to how we build our own individual reputations and
credibility and this seems to have more to do with the leadership roles we
take on in our own communities and beyond.  Again, let me explain further as
I am coming from an experiential viewpoint as I have built up my own
credibility and reputation to a point to where I had to start turning away
offers to become involved in committees, board, councils etcetera, even as I
hold down a full-time job.  We know that it is a call to duty when we are
sought after for our knowledge and expertise.  We have knowledge, skills and
experiences that we can share, and this type of "call to duty" is one to be
equally proud of.  Being active members of formal governing bodies is key,
and this is what community service is about.  We know too many that choose
to let "the other guy" do the work for us, or "be the voice for us", and it
is this call to duty that I am speaking of that our active presence is
sought after.  It doesn't have to be seen, it just has to be noticed as
being effective and action that have others turn to you for your knowledge
and expertise.  The term that is the buzz word today is transparency, and I
so many times see my blind peers call the questions thus creating this exact
concept.  
So, whether you are called on to become involved with your Lion's club, your
local transit utility, workforce development board, these forms of community
service serve to equal levels as any other call to duty.

These are just my immediate thoughts after a long day at work and
involvement in working to create a new division with our State affiliate. 

Thanks,
Steve J.



-----Original Message-----
From: community-service-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:community-service-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Darian Smith
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 6:45 PM
To: Community Service Discussion List
Subject: [Community-service] Is the call to serve for the sighted, the need
to serve for the blind?

Hi all,
  So I was  thinking about something...
 Many times we hear that a person is "called" to serve their
community, country, etc.  I wonder if you think that  that call
becomes more of a "need" for the blind person who wishes to serve? Is
it something we do to change perceptions? is it something we do to
kill time? is it  neither? is it both? and does blindness ever play a
factor into the dicision?

 Interested to hear  your thoughts?
   Darian
-- 
Darian Smith
Skype: The_Blind_Truth
Windows Live: Lightningrod2010 at live.com
Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/goldengateace


"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are
spiritual beings having a human experience." - Teilhard de Chardin

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