10/25/2024
"Blind Beatitudes"
"Blessed are they that refrain from shouting when they speak to me.
(Some people feel that because I am blind, I am deaf also. But there’s no need to raise your voice when speaking to a blind person, just speak to them as you would anyone else.)
Blessed are they that talk directly to me and not to someone else.
(This happens quite often in a restaurant when the server is taking our order. They’ll say, pointing to me, “What would he like to have?” One time after a waitress said this my driver said, “He would like to talk to your manager.” I thought, oh boy! A free meal! 😊
Blessed are they that say who they are when entering a room and say hello to me.
(I don’t always recognize people’s voices and it’s just a little embarrassing when I should know them. I often associate a person’s voice with where I am. Just because I can recognize your voice at say, church, doesn’t mean I will recognize it at the grocery store should I see you there.)
Blessed are they that say goodbye to me when they leave so I am not left speaking to the air.
(Boy, how many times has this happened to me. I remember one time at church I thought I was talking to someone and somebody else came up and said I was talking to the wall. I thought about it and said, that happens to me sometimes, hello? Hello? They had walked away also.)
Blessed are they that do not hesitate to say "SEE" when talking to me.
(I don’t change my vocabulary when talking. I say that I saw something, or I watched a movie or, did you see?)
Blessed are they who tap my shoulder gently when they approach from behind or from the side when speaking to me.
(I can go either way with this one. It would be nice if they would alert me when they come up to me, but if they don’t, it’s not a big deal.)
Blessed are they who wait for me to extend my hand before shaking it.
(Or at least let me know they are standing there so I know to stick out my hand. I was relatively new at the church I now attend, and a member came up to me and held out his hand not knowing I was blind. I didn’t return the gesture, and he went back and sat by his wife and said, “Boy, what a jerk.” LOL!)
Blessed are they who place my hand on an object such as the back of a chair when telling me where it is, so I can seat myself.
(This really does help when trying to sit down. Many times, I don’t know how the chair is facing and may try to sit in it backwards.)
Blessed are they who do not leave me in a strange environment without orienting me to it.
(Just a few simple instructions of what direction things are, like a door or a table really helps. Of course, now with AI glasses and apps, we have apps that can describe our surroundings to us.)
Blessed are they who offer me their arm so they can serve as my guide, instead of grabbing, pulling, or shoving me.
(This is another biggie. It’s really embarrassing when somebody grabs you and starts pulling you toward a door or a chair. Just let me hold on to your elbow and guide me that way. You would be amazed at how much information you can communicate to me while I’m holding your arm.)
Blessed are they who come up to me in a large crowd and offer to help me when I appear disoriented.
(When I flew a lot for my job, I would sometimes look forlorn and bewildered in the airport and most of the time somebody would come and assist me. I do appreciate the help when I am in need of it. Don’t be afraid to ask a blind person if they need help, just don’t assume they do and begin pulling on them.)
Blessed are they who do not embarrass me in a group of people by openly referring to my blindness in word or action.
(Sometimes when I’m in a group of people and I don’t know what is going on, somebody will point to their eyes and shake their head indicating that I am blind. I guess that’s OK, but I would rather they just say, “He’s blind or, he can’t see.)
Blessed are they who laugh with me when I tell a joke related to blindness.
(You have to admit that there are some pretty funny blind jokes out there.
Did you hear the one about the blind cashier at Wal-Mart?
A lady came up to check-out and asked how much the rod and reel she was carrying was.
The blind guy said, “Just drop it on the counter and I’ll tell you”.
She was amazed when after she dropped it on the counter he began telling her that it was a Shakespeare rod and a Zebco reel and that total price was $39.95.”
While he was telling her how much the rod and reel was, she just happened to pass gas and pretended that nothing happened.
He rang her up and said the cost was $52.85. She said, “I thought you said it was $39.95?”
He said, “Yes, $39.95 for the rod and reel, $5.00 for the duck call and $4.00 for the stink bait plus tax.
Blessed are they who read me the menu and its prices and allow me to order my own meal.
(This has changed somewhat due once again to the AI glasses. It’s amazing what information we can find out using them. We can just ask our glasses to read the salads, or entrees or desserts. But sometimes it’s a little quicker for somebody with sight to tell us wats on the menu.)
Blessed are they who take me to the cashier so I may pay for my own meal.
(Unless of course you are going to buy my dinner.) 😊
Blessed are they who do not distract my guide dog from being my active eyes.
(I am amazed at how many people come up to me in a store or any public place and ask if they can pet my dog. Actually, many times they will just go ahead and pet him while saying, “I know I’m not supposed to pet him, but…” Dogs love people and if my dog knows that he can get a pet from people in public, then he is going to seek out that attention instead of watching out for me.)
Blessed are they who treat me like a human being, for that is what I am, a human being."
(I’m no different than you or anyone else, I’m just not able to see. Sometimes people are uncomfortable around a blind person, and they just don’t know what to do or what to say. Don’t be afraid to talk to me like you would anyone else. I for one, don’t mind if somebody asks about my blindness. I consider it an educational opportunity.))
Thanks for taking the time to read this. If you would, maybe share it with others. You never know, it might help somebody sometime.
