[rehab] Blindness mannerisms:

[Angel238]

I don't know whether my post was sent to an individual.  Or whether it was sent to the list.  So, I am sending it to the list.  I apologize, if it was sent twice.  The post follows.  
Blind people can be the hardest, and the meanest toward each other.  When it 
ought to be the other way around.  They ought to be the first to understand 
the blind child or young adult.  Who may have been sheltered their whole 
lives.  Not truly understanding how to properly socialize.  I well remember, 
in the mid 60's.  I was introduced to the adult rehabilitation process.  The 
first time I and my totally blind rehabilitation councilor met.  I had to 
fill out a form.  Stating all the skills I could perform, and how well I was 
able to perform them.  They were skills I never was taught.  Because, I was 
one of those sheltered blind children.  He said, nearly after each question 
I answered no to :  "My wife can do that perfectly well."  Now, his wife was 
also totally blind.  Perhaps, his intent was to spur me to a level of higher 
achievement.  Telling me, his wife was totally blind, and implying that, if 
she could accomplish laundering, cooking,  and sewing, and such, so should I 
be able to do such things equally as well.  But, what he did succeed in 
accomplishing was quite the opposite.  I left him with tears in my eyes.  I 
told my mother this, and she was quick to remind me, his wife was some 20 or 
so years older than was I, and was married, with children, and with 
experience.  Which is why, we always should be sure those blind people for 
whom blindness is an entirely new experience. Or those blind children, who 
lived sheltered lives. through no fault of their own.  Receive a proper 
prospective.  As it relates to their circumstances.  Just because others who 
are totally blind accomplish things, or possess skills which a child or a 
newly blinded adult isn't capable, doesn't mean he is a failure, and will 
never learn.  Of course, this goes without saying, when we talk among 
ourselves.  But, we forget, sometimes, the sheltered young adult, or newly 
blinded person doesn't know blind people who succeed aren't somehow super 
people.  Whose achievements aren't beyond themselves to accomplish.  After 
all, isn't the stereotype of the challenged person, that he does marvelous 
things.  When he accomplishes even the simplest things?  So, from the 
beginning of a blind persons journey he feels incompetent.  Because his 
expectations of what he might be able to do are so low.  So when he meets 
successful blind people, and when he compares his achievements to theirs, 
how inadequate he must feel.  Then, some blind writer comes along and tells 
him, he is looked upon by sighted people as being somehow weird.  Because he 
rocks, or claps, or can't cook.  What must do to his motivation to even try. 
Each blind person needs to be encouraged as much as is possible.  Never 
causing him to think he is weird, or less than ordinary.  Regardless the 
mannerisms he might exhibit.  I think those who take exception to seeing 
blindness mannerisms are exhibiting a hatred of themselves.  Perhaps due to 
their blindness.  They are the ones who need to examine themselves.  Rather 
than criticizing those.  Who may not be as far along on their journey to be 
all they are capable of  being.