[stylist] To ponder- exercise and representing blindness

Mon Feb 11 23:55:26 UTC 2013

Yes, Anita, all so true. We always have a choice as to how we are going to 
be - positive, or otherwise.

Lynda

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Anita Ogletree" <yrstrli at gmail.com>
To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, February 11, 2013 1:24 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] To ponder- exercise and representing blindness

> That's excatly how I have been able to make it through more than 40 years 
> of life.  I usually don't (feel blind) until an unhappy sighted person 
> tries to rain on my parade.
> Many people will often say to me "you are always so happy" or "you are 
> always smiling).  Well if I could have made the choice, I sure would not 
> have chosen to be blind.  On the other hand, however, I have learned to 
> ask God not to allow my heart to be like so many who are sighted are in 
> the way that they complain about the sun shining in the window in the 
> morning or are always critical of other people's physical features or way 
> of dressing.  There are some who may not have the financial ability to 
> choose the kind of wardrobe someone else deems proper.  And sometimes 
> there are individuals who have decided not to conform to what every one 
> else likes.
> I have come to believe that I may be better off than a lot of sighted 
> people because I see what's inside another human being if they have the 
> spirit of God.  So I am usually smiling even when I don't feel well.
> Anita
>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Lynda Lambert" <llambert at zoominternet.net
>>To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org
>>Date sent: Mon, 11 Feb 2013 12:50:44 -0500
>>Subject: Re: [stylist] To ponder- exercise and representing
> blindness
>
>>There are parallels as you can clearly see, Anita.  Good for you.
> My husband
>>and I were just speaking about this a few minutes ago.  This has
> been a very
>>educational experience for him to walk with me through sight loss
> and the
>>issues he sees that we deal with all the time.  One thing for
> sure, I do not
>>want to be bitter at all about it and I want to continue to walk
> in love.
>>That is my choice.  Losing my sight is not my choice, but how I
> respond to
>>it every day is entirely in my hands.
>
>>Lynda
>
>
>
>
>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Anita Ogletree" <yrstrli at gmail.com
>>To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org
>>Sent: Monday, February 11, 2013 9:43 AM
>>Subject: Re: [stylist] To ponder- exercise and representing
> blindness
>
>
>>> Amen to that! That's how society, in general, categorizes people
> of
>>> different races, religions (and most of all) blind people.
>>> That is how the VR services attempts to manipulate us when we
> don't
>>> conform to their pre-determined assessments of all blind people.
> I
>>> shouldn't be judged according to the statistics someone has
> gathered on
>>> other people.  I am Anita Ogletree, not Jane Doe.  I can make my
> own
>>> adaptations to doing things that work for me.  Ms.  Doe should
> be allowed
>>> to do the same without feeling threatened that she won't get the
> help she
>>> needs.
>>> You're right! we should not have to represent an entire group.
> That is
>>> what they do whenever they talk about black people.  Not all of
> us are
>>> going to end up living in the projects.
>>> Ok.  I am finished with my ranting.  LOL
>>> Anita
>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>From: Bridgit Pollpeter <bpollpeter at hotmail.com
>>>>To: <stylist at nfbnet.org
>>>>Date sent: Mon, 11 Feb 2013 06:36:19 -0600
>>>>Subject: [stylist] To ponder- exercise and representing blindness
>
>>>>This makes me recall an interesting situation.
>
>>>>A few years ago I spoke at the Nebraska Medical Center to a group
>>> of
>>>>medical staff working with diabetics including doctors.  I have
>>> been a
>>>>type 1 diabetic since I was four, and I have had to manage my
>>> diabetes
>>>>both as a sighted person and blind person, so I was addressing
>>> the topic
>>>>from both perspectives.
>
>>>>Now, exercise and physical activity have always been important to
>>> me.
>>>>Since childhood, I've been a very active person.  I don't exactly
>>> look
>>>>out of shape, and to go along with this, my diabetes is well
>>> managed.
>>>>After I lost my sight, I didn't lose a beat when it came to
>>> exercising.
>
>>>>One doctor asked how I adjusted to not being able to work-out
>>> since
>>>>being blind.  He had participated in a study that, one,
>>> demonstrated the
>>>>advantages exercise had on diabetics who worked-out and those who
>>> did
>>>>not, and two, displayed that diabetics with visual impairments
>>> were in
>>>>the group of non-active people because blindness rendered them
>>> unable,
>>>>or at least made it difficult, to be active.
>
>>>>It was one of those moments where I was like, "You're a doctor,
>>> right?"
>>>>in my head.  I told him that I never stopped working-out or being
>>> active,
>>>>and I know several other blind people, diabetic and otherwise,
>>> who are
>>>>very active.
>
>>>>He then amended his response by stating that he meant visually
>>> impaired
>>>>people won't be able to navigate a gym or do much out-doors.  To
>>> which I
>>>>replied that first of all, a gym is not necessary to have access
>>> too for
>>>>exercising purposes, nor do you need to work-out out-of-doors,
>>> but
>>>>having said all that, that plenty of blind people, myself
>>> included, go
>>>>to the gym and find activities to enjoy out in nature.  My
>>> husband and I
>>>>use a walking trail near our house almost every day during nice
>>> weather,
>>>>and we aint taken leisurely strolls down it, grin.
>
>>>>It's just funny how silly people can get about these things.  And
>>> I like
>>>>what you say about not representing a whole group of people.  I
>>> am just
>>>>me, and I just want to live my life not always feeling like I
>>> have to
>>>>represent an entire group of people.  Some will say that as an
>>>>independent, capable blind person, it's our job, whether we want
>>> it or
>>>>not, to be an example, to represent the entire blind population,
>>> but
>>>>this is a heavy mantle to wear.  It's like asking any other
>>> person of a
>>>>minority to be more than an individual; to become the embodiment
>>> of a
>>>>whole group.  The thing is, no single person is alike.  I mean, I
>>> get this
>>>>will happen regardless, people will assign roles to us no matter
>>> what,
>>>>and yes, someone needs to voice progressive, positive examples
>>> for
>>>>various groups, but damn, we have to live our lives and just be
>>> human.  I
>>>>want to be a mommy because I love, love, love my kids, not
>>> because I
>>>>need to demonstrate that blind people can be parents.  I want to
>>> pursue
>>>>higher education because I love to learn, and I want to further
>>> my
>>>>knowledge, not because I have to display that blind people are
>>> just as
>>>>capable.  I want to be out in my community enjoying events and
>>> activities
>>>>like the theatre, concerts, sports, shopping, playgrounds,
>>> because I
>>>>have a sincere enjoyment of such activities and not because as a
>>> blind
>>>>person I must force myself to attend community events so society
>>> can see
>>>>that blind people are normal.  It's just exhausting, and I have a
>>> life to
>>>>live beyond this single element of my being.
>
>>>>Sincerely,
>>>>Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter, editor, Slate & Style
>>>>Read my blog at:
>>>>http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
>
>>>>"If we discover a desire within us that nothing in this world can
>>>>satisfy, we should begin to wonder if perhaps we were created for
>>>>another world."
>>>>C.  S.  Lewis
>
>>>>Message: 13
>>>>Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2013 16:58:47 -0500
>>>>From: "Lynda Lambert" <llambert at zoominternet.net
>>>>To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org
>>>>Subject: Re: [stylist] To ponder- to take to another level
>>>>Message-ID: <9778408A73F7477DABF1B81E8CB84C96 at Lambert
>>>>Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
>>>> reply-type=original
>
>>>>this whole thing is very interesting.
>>>>I know for most of the people I am around, I am the only blind
>>> person
>>>>they
>>>>have ever encountered.  I really don't feel like I need to
>>> "represent"
>>>>anyone, nor do I want to.  I am still the same "self" that I have
>>> always
>>>>been, and I think that is hard to grasp because I am sure they
>>> all look
>>>>at
>>>>this change as being devestating.  They seem surprised when I do
>>> normal
>>>>things.
>
>>>>When my husband and I did the one mile "walk to break the
>>> silence" for
>>>>ovarian cancer last fall, we walked behind my sister and my
>>>>daughter-in-law
>>>>who were engaged in cheery conversation together.  When we
>>> reached the
>>>>end
>>>>of the course, they turned around and saw us behind them - and
>>> expressed
>
>>>>amazement that we were "there"   as if I was not capable of
>>> walking
>>>>along on
>>>>the course.  I am very "fit" and workout at the gym nearly every
>>> day, as
>>>>I
>>>>have done most of my life - so why should that be any different
>>> now, to
>>>>the
>>>>point where anyone would think it surprising I would be walking
>>> as any
>>>>other
>>>>normal person walks.  Frankly, things like this really scald me,
>>> and
>>>>particularly when it is my family members, as they know very well
>>> that I
>
>>>>walk several miles a day on my cardio days, and work out at the
>>> gym for
>>>>over
>>>>an hour on other days.  But, there in public with tons of people
>>> around
>>>>us,
>>>>they show surprise that I can walk at all.  I am laughing as I
>>> write
>>>>this -
>>>>it is so silly.
>
>
>>>>Lynda
>
>
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>
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