[IL-Talk] Does your cane give you dignity?

[Steve Hastalis]

Hi, everyone

Reading this article reminds me of some of my earliest cane travel experiences. Before I used a cane, I always afraid that my shoe would slip down the gap between the car and platform. I therefore took long strides when moving between the platform and elevated train. One time, my shoe slipped down the gap. Once I had a cane in my hand, my fear vanished because I found the horizontal and vertical gap with my cane.

Years later, my mother told me this recollection about my first trip to the barber myself: "As I saw you walk away from the house, I sat on the front steps and cried. About an hour later as you returned. You had your head up; you were swinging that cane, and you had a big smile."

A few years later, we moved from the Beverly neighborhood on the south side of Chicago to Western  Springs. One morning, my mother drove me about a mile and a half north from our house to the train station. She gave me these directions: "The sidewalk stops at 49th Street. After that, the drainage ditch starts about three feet from the road."

In another walk through our neighborhood, I started hearing traffic that sounded wrong. Cars moved slowly, and I then realized my error. I must have walked down a driveway into the traffic lane. I then immediately stepped up out of the street and onto the sidewalk. The moral of that story is that I must be aware of my surroundings.

Sixty years have passed from 1964 to the present, when I had my cane travel instruction. I still use a cane; I have several, and I also have several tips. I appreciate the directions people have given me, formally and informally. I hope to continue traveling with a long cane for many years to come I hope to be a mentor to my colleagues, as we change what it means to be blind.

Cordially, Steve Hastalis

-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk <il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Leslie Hamric via IL-Talk
Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2024 3:56 PM
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Leslie Hamric <lhamric930 at comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [IL-Talk] Does your cane give you dignity?

Although I use my guide dog most of the time, there are times when I still use my cane. It's so important to still keep up those cane skills in case the dog is sick or unable to work for whatever reason. When I go out with my cane, I think, yeah I'm doing this. I'm out and about by myself. I've always loved mobility lessons. when I'm with my dog, I think, wow I can actually go so much faster and get around the things and this is really liberating. The cane has its own type of freedom and the dog has its own type of freedom. I always encourage perspective guide dog handlers to get really good with that cane because  no matter which mobility tool you use, that cane is going to be number one.
Leslie Hamric
Cello and Braille Music Teacher

> On Sep 17, 2024, at 1:08 PM, pattischang--- via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> One of the themes we are working with ties back to President 
> Riccobono's banquet speech this year. It is dignity. We are looking 
> for comments for White Cane Awareness Day. So, tell me how your cane 
> gives you dignity or ties to dignity please.
> 
> 
> 
> Thx for your help.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Patti Chang
> 
> 2nd Vice President
> 
> National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
> 
> 773-307-6440
> 
> <https://www.nfbofillinois.org/> https://www.nfbofillinois.org
> Pronouns: she, her, hers
> 
> 
> 
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