[Nfb-krafters-korner] You don't look blind!

[rainee]

I think some people base what blind people are supposed to look like on 
their first encounter with one, or one they saw on TV that looked a certain 
way.  I used to be annoyed by those that always use the word "amazing" in 
conjunction with me, and hearing that word out of some people's mouth still 
annoys the living "Hello!" out of me.  I know this sweet lady at the 
farmers' market that I always meet with mixed feelings of joy and dread, 
because she just won't stop with the constant fascination with my blindness. 
Bless her heart, but she walked with me to the bathroom, telling everybody 
she knew that she just wanted to see how I do things and that I was blind. 
I was a bit embarrassed, and my blindness usually doesn't embarrass me.  I 
looked at her and said quietly, "As if it wasn't totally obvious that I 
can't see."  Her response was, "Hey, I didn't know at first."  Um, hello?  I 
have a cane that's almost as tall as I am.  What more of a sign does one 
need?  LOL.  She was complimenting me on my faith, because I said it was 
good to see her.  I said, "Francine, it just wouldn't sound good to say that 
it was good to hear you or to feel you."  Bless her heart.  She's a sweet, 
sweet lady, but her doting over me and her fascination with my blindness 
just about drives a sober woman to drink.

I so agree with you about the joy one feels when someone says, "This is my 
friend," rather than stating that they have a blind friend.  Thankfully, I 
find that most people will see you as more than blind the more they get to 
know you, but I've known some that never get over the blindness.


http://www.raineemusic.com.
http://www.myspace.com/raineeperdue
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Blindhands at aol.com>
To: <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, April 04, 2008 9:23 PM
Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] You don't look blind!


> How many times have I heard that statement, "You don't look  blind."   So
> what does a blind person suppose to look like?
>
> This is a statement that really gets to me.
>
> Then the amazement that how could you sew, knit, quilt, weave,make
> candles,pour molds,use a sewing machine etc.  Once they get over that and 
> beyond
> there, then you can talk to them like "Did you see the sale at the yarn 
> shop! It
> takes a while before they stop excusing themselves that the sighted 
> person
> used the word "see".  Heck I use it all the time!  When I tell  my 
> Grandaughters
> let me see what you have, they come over and put it into my  hands.
>
> So acting normal is not something we need to hide, just as sharing the 
> hows
> with other blind folks here will let others know how we "Look" at things.
>
> We do have a few sighted folks on the list that enjoy crafting and work 
> with
> blind folks.
>
> I like when folks introduce me as, "There friend, Joyce."  It took a 
> while
> for that to happen because they use to say "This is my blind friend, 
> Joyce."
>
> OK I am getting off the milk crate that I climbed up on.
>
> Joyce
>
>
>
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> 
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>


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