[Nfb-krafters-korner] answer for Naima

[Deborah Armstrong]

Sighted people will always say something is easier with sight, but 
that's because for them, if they put on a sleep shade they couldn't do 
whatever it is they wanted to do: knit, cook, scrub the floor, go to 
work. Sighted people who have never worked with the blind are not 
authorities and  their opinions are uninformed.


When I injured my knee and could barely walk I found many ordinary 
activities nearly impossible. But I work with the physically disabled, 
so I knew that people whose disability was permanent learned how to 
independently handle the tasks I struggled with. So when I couldn't 
figure out how to use some of the bathrooms, or manage my crutches on 
stairs, or unlock certain doors with one hand, I asked the clients I 
serve and they helped me learn new ways of doing things.


   My knee healed up and  I didn't have to cope for long, but even in 
that short time I learned how hard it is to imagine alternative 
techniques when you've always had a perfectly working way of 
accomplishing a task. Remember that your sighted friends have those 
prejudices and you cannot fix them, but you can do an attitude 
adjustment on you!


Know too, if you can't do something it might be a lack of talent or 
patience rather than blindness. I am very good with computers. Many 
people are not. It isn't blindness that makes them struggle with 
technology; it's that they don't have a talent for technology.


I'm not very mechanical. I can't figure out how to assemble things I buy 
or repair things at home. I have blind friends who are very good at 
these things. They have more mechanical talent than I do. I know blind 
people who play music beautifully; I struggled to master three guitar 
chords!


I love growing things and consider myself a green thumb. I know blind 
people who have beautiful gardens and others who kill plants with 
over-watering or neglect. Blindness has nothing to do with either their 
success or failures.


I have written a long article about this for the NFB of Utah called "How 
To Be Your own O&M Instructor" at:

     http://blindhow.com/posts/540#content


--Debee




On 9/2/2016 8:12 PM, Ramona Walhof via Nfb-krafters-korner wrote:
> Naima, there are literally thousands of people in the National Federation of
> the Blind who understand how you are feelingl.  We all have to figure some
> things out for ourselves, but most are very happy to share their
> experiences, too.  Sometimes it feels as though you are alone, but truly,
> you are not.
> Ramona
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Nfb-krafters-korner [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Naima Leigh via Nfb-krafters-korner
> Sent: Friday, September 02, 2016 8:38 PM
> To: 'List for blind crafters and artists' <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Naima Leigh <nleigh2016 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] answer for Naima
>
> Thanks
>
> No, I still have some sight but not enough to see colors or patterns. I have
> light perception, just enough vision to tell if the light is on or sometimes
> depending on which way the sun is positioned, I can tell if the sun is out
> or not.
>
> Yes, It is very frustrating to convince people I can help with volunteer
> positions in spite of my disability. My family doesn't understand me
> sometimes because I'm different, and I don't understand them either.
>
> I do my best with this condition.
>
> Naima
>