[Ohio-talk] good idea or not

[Deborah Kendrick]

Marianne, 
This makes me want to cry.  Or maybe scream.  
I am so weary of stories like this, portraying blindness as such a tragedy,
pushing the panic button in people to rush out and see everything possible
before that horrible curtan of darkness descends to shroud soul and mind in
doom and gloom.  
These parents might mean well, but they are projecting their own desires on
this kid who, as the story did happen to mention, is most interested in
whether to be a princess or a mermaid!
They would serve her better by telling her stories of mermaids who read
braille and princesses who, despite complicated castle corridors, find their
way to the golden treasure by using a white cane and good sense!  
I was five years old when I lost my sight.  
What do I remember of that age?  
The smell of my favorite doll.
The taste of my gradnmother's cookies. 
The feel of that top bar on our swing set under my knees when I climbed up
there to hang upsidedown like a monkey, and the breeze on my face when I
pumped my legs as hard as I could to swing as high as the sky.
And yes, dimly, I do remember a blur that was the sight of the hedge in
front of our house that marked the end of my traveling boundaries when no
one was with me!
And again, dimly, the image of cowboys on horses when I pulled a stool up to
the TV screen.  
The latter are just memories in a catalogue, while the former trigger much
joy!  
I have hoped all these years that my part in media portraying peopl as just
plain people whether they have a disability or not might affect my fellow
professionals.  
When I see a story like this one, I can't help but feel that I have failed. 
Thanks for sharing...
Deborah



-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio-talk [mailto:ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marianne
Denning via Ohio-talk
Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2015 2:30 PM
To: NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List
Cc: Marianne Denning
Subject: [Ohio-talk] good idea or not

I am very disturbed by this whole bucket list for children going blind and
here is a five year old going to Rome.  What are your thoughts?

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/5-year-old-girl-whos-slowly-going-blind-will-get
-to-see-rome/

--
Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
(513) 607-6053

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