[nfb-talk] what sometimes happens to new federationists

Mon Apr 25 03:32:40 UTC 2011

Some myself included have a comfort level based upon how far along we are in the adjustment process. Any challenge to that comfort level exposes how far I have to go. Sometimes I question my ability to master it all because it applies to so many things at once. I've learned to take a deep breath and approach one issue at a time. I feel good about every victory buut I know there are more challenges ahead. I go forward with confidence because quitting is not an option.
Steve

SRBaker

> Date: Sun, 24 Apr 2011 20:08:58 -0700
> From: carter.tjoseph at gmail.com
> To: nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] what sometimes happens to new federationists
> 
> Sherri,
> 
> I've come to think that there are perhaps several stages of 
> acceptance people go through. It seems that first you get a grudging 
> acceptance. So you're blind, you will manage. You hate it, and you 
> want it not to be so, but your life is going to continue regardless 
> of whether or not you can see it.
> 
> Then you get to the point of militancy. Nobody had better dare ever 
> even try to offer you assistance. You can't accept anything from 
> anyone because it might allow people to suspect that there's 
> something you can't do yourself. And maybe, they're right. Oh, you 
> won't say that out loud, and possibly you won't even admit that to 
> yourself, but you are afraid it might be true nonetheless.
> 
> Then, somewhere along the line, you stop caring what other people 
> think. You know what you can do, and you have a pretty good idea 
> about what you probably could figure out how to do if you ever had 
> to. It doesn't matter if someone does something for you anymore, 
> because you can do it yourself. You know it, so who cares what 
> anyone else thinks?
> 
> Joseph
> 
> On Sun, Apr 24, 2011 at 11:51:43AM -0400, Sherri wrote:
> >Ray I totally agree with you. When I first joined the NFB, way back 
> >in ancient times, I was I would say militant. I took my straight cane 
> >"everywhere" got on and off planes before anyone else and basically 
> >refused any help. I thought that to truly embrace the philosophy of 
> >the NFB meant to decline any kind of help from anyone. Several years 
> >later, I read The Nature of Independence by Dr. Jernigan. It changed 
> >how I felt about NFB and about blindness and the way I acted toward 
> >others. I have a much more "fair and balanced" attitude about 
> >blindness today.
> >
> >Sherri
> >
> >Please check out the link below and help blind people in your local 
> >area achieve their dreams by visiting
> >http://www.raceforindependence.org/goto/Sherri.Brun
> >Thank you.
> >
> >Character is the side of yourself you choose to show the world. 
> >Integrity is what you do, what you say and how you act when you think 
> >no one is paying attention.
> >Sherri Brun
> >flmom2006 at gmail.com
> >
> >----- Original Message ----- From: "Ray Foret Jr" <rforetjr at att.net>
> >To: "Jeanette Fortin" <jeanette at fortin-home.com>; "NFB Talk Mailing 
> >List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> >Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2011 12:47 AM
> >Subject: [nfb-talk] what sometimes happens to new federationists
> >
> >
> >>
> >>Okay. Perhaps it is time to change the subject line.
> >>
> >>Jeanette, in your message, you say, in part, "instead of being 
> >>happy for folks who have the opportunity to gain vision it seems 
> >>sometimes folks are angry about it acting like it is a slam to 
> >>blind folks".
> >>
> >>Aint that the truth. To speak frankly, I think it's the 
> >>consequence of missplaced anger. That's the very same missplaced 
> >>anger that makes some federationists say that blind people, (or 
> >>sighted for that matter) shouldn't laugh at anything blindness 
> >>related. Shouldn't laugh? That's not normal; and, that's another 
> >>discussion too. It's one I tried to start some time back; but, as 
> >>I recall, no one wanted to touch the subject. Don't know why.
> >>
> >>Well, let's be honest with ourselves and each other shall we? The 
> >>simple truth is this. When some people, (not all mind you), find 
> >>the federation, they are so relieved, they begin eating, sleeping 
> >>and breathing it. The federation becomes the very defenition of 
> >>their lives. They take themselves so seriously that they lash out 
> >>at anyone who doesn't immediately adopt their thinking. Those poor 
> >>souls who get the short end of that stick realize how much the 
> >>blind person in question has changed and no longer want anything to 
> >>do with them. So, what happens is that they then break off. 
> >>That's how new federationist tend to lose friends. I know. I saw 
> >>it happen. It almost happened to me that way. Then, what tends to 
> >>happen with the new federationist is that they get angry because 
> >>the world doesn't understand things the way they do. Mind you, not 
> >>every new federationist goes through this; but, some do. This 
> >>anger becomes badkly misplaced and they take themselves so 
> >>seriously that nobody wants even to be around them anymore.
> >>Sincerely,
> >>The Constantly Barefooted Ray!!!
> >>
> >>Now a very proud and happy Mac user!!!
> >>Skype name:
> >>barefootedray
> >>
> >>Facebook:
> >>facebook.com/ray.foretjr.1
> >>
> >>On Apr 23, 2011, at 5:49 PM, Jeanette Fortin wrote:
> >>
> >>>instead of being happy for folks who have the opportunity to gain 
> >>>vision it seems sometimes folks are angry about it acting like 
> >>>it is a slam to blind folks
> >>
> >>_______________________________________________
> >>nfb-talk mailing list
> >>nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
> >>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
> >>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
> >>for nfb-talk:
> >>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/flmom2006%40gmail.com
> >>
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >nfb-talk mailing list
> >nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
> >http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
> >To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nfb-talk:
> >http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/carter.tjoseph%40gmail.com
> 
> _______________________________________________
> nfb-talk mailing list
> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nfb-talk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/srbaker12%40hotmail.com