“You know you are blind when…” October 16.2023 425 words

I thought I would make a list of times when I realized that I don’t see and it puts me in awkward situations. Below is my list.
You know you are blind when:
You grab the moisturizer for your legs only to find you have used the vaginal cream.
You know you are blind when:
You crack open an egg only to miss the hot frying pan.
You know you are blind when:
You grab the arm of a total stranger rather than your husband’s arm.
You know you are blind when:
You are on a horse trail and you don’t notice the rider signaling you to move with her arm movements.
You know you are blind when:
The person you are talking with walks away and you are still talking … to yourself.
You know you are blind when:
The car at the crossing toots their horn to tell you to cross.
You know you are blind when:
A nurse takes you by the hand to lead you to the scale.
You know you are blind when:
You get turned around in your home.
You know you are blind when:
You find your herb plants by smelling them.
You know you are blind when:
You can taste sour milk in your mouth with just by a quick sniff.
You know you are blind when:
You can’t light the candles for a romantic dinner.
You know you are blind when:
Your books have raised dots rather than printing.
You know you are blind when:
What you can see is secondary to what you smell, taste and feel.

On the plus side.
Blindness allows you to ignore a person’s outward appearance.
You can listen without visual distractions.
You can walk around in the dark safely.
You can read even if the power goes off.
You know you are near water by the smell of wetness.
Blindness increases your use of memory to find objects.
A blind person’s listen’s with more intent.
Blindness increases your sense of touch.
Blindness instills your need to be aware of your surroundings.
Blindness develops self advocacy.
Blindness helps a person to feel empathy with others.
Young people rush to open doors for John and myself.
When we joke and I playfully tap him with my white cane, people laugh and remark what a cute we are.
You can tell friends and family that they are still thin with dark hair in my reality.
Blindness is not the end of the road, only a turn on the journey.

carolaspot@aol.com. 10-16-2023