[Nfbc-info] Here comes the rain

[Lisa Irving]

Hello Federation family, 

 

 

What do you do when you experience storms in your life? I was presented with
an opportunity to answer this question earlier this evening. I will tell you
what happened and how I chose to respond. I hope this short story encourages
you. 

 

I live in San Diego. The past two weeks has been a mixture of soupy
conditions and sweltering temperatures. This is very reminiscent of growing
up in Western New York and in Upstate New York. My siblings and I regularly
begged our mother to drive us to the nearby community pool. In our childish
way we found a solution to our problem; we were hot. I also recall many
occasions when my younger sister and I asked permission to play in the rain;
we found a silver lining.  

 

I've spent almost twenty-seven summers in the San Diego area. Summer rains
are sacred because they are scarce.  A short while ago I heard a commotion
outside my window. When I opened my front door I heard my neighbors
exclaiming that it was pouring.   I joined a neighbor in front of the
apartment complex -in the pouring rain! She and I danced and sang, "I'm
Singing in the Rain." That's how I try to live my life as a blind person. 

 

I am a woman of faith and of strong conviction. Some of my inner strength
comes from the wisdom and mentoring I have received during the past year
from my Federation family. Although I don't literally dance and sing my way
through life    I do seek to find solutions; new ways of doing familiar
things, compromising whenever possible and standing my ground as needed. I
am getting better and better at identifying choices and finding solutions
because of my daily involvement with the NFB and my commitment to our
chapter members and to the blind community of San Diego. I challenge you to
dance and sing during the unavoidable storms we will encounter in this life.


 

 

Warmly,

Lisa Irving, President, NFBC, San Diego Chapter