[stylist] Read my latest Live Well column

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

What I think in my head is not what I say to people. *smile* It's really
true that one of the most difficult parts of being blind is other
people's perceptions.

This particular situation was the first time I was asked if I lived in
an assisted living center, or if I had a home "companion."  I've since
been asked this a few other times, but I was so thrown off by the
question.  I was a healthy 24-year-old, clearly able to walk and travel
about a city independently, but for some reason, I needed help at home.
It seems so incongruous.

I do agree, though, that how we react can make as much of an impression
as our blindness itself.  We expect people to treat us with a positive
attitude, but then we're going to respond with a negative attitude of
our own?  This too is incongruous.  Education never has favorable
results when we approach topics with negativity. By nature, I'm quite
the bitch! Ha-ha! Seriously though, I get tired of attitudes like this,
but I also understand that nothing changes when I don't view situations
like this as an opportunity to educate rather than mock or belittle.

I've never had a friend react quite as strongly as Chris's friend, but
my friends have attempted to make it clear that nothing is wrong with
me.  The biggest problem my friends and I encounter is people speaking
to them for me instead of speaking directly to me. Usually I just
respond by answering as anyone else would even though the person didn't
direct things to me. A few friends, though,  will try to make it clear
that I'm a grown up and questions and comments can be directed to me.

As usual, I wondered how sighted people would react to my post, but an
overwhelming amount of people have said how they found this particular
situation interesting, and it opened their eyes to "my world."

My goal is to explain the reality of blindness, and educate why certain
things are wrong or negative through my personal experiences as well as
outside sources.  So far, I've received positive feedback from sighted
and blind people.  This has been an amazing opportunity of many levels.
I appreciate all of you who support me.

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Read my blog for Live Well Nebraska.com at
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/