Seeing the Blind

I had the chance to do some images for a slideshow presentation being put together for a group of blind people at Abundant Life church in Westminster. The organization assists people with an assortment of visual impairments with services but the most important resource is a chance to socialize and worship. Danny Harmon collected some interesting audio to go along with the images. We'll see how it turns out. Making pictures was tough; it was some of the ugliest light I've ever seen, and my flash batteries went kaput. Ah well.

Years ago I worked for a master acupuncturist as his assistant and apprentice. That's right, I know how to use really sharp needles to make you do things. Emmett was legally blind and used a guide dog, her name was Bacall. At times he would ask that if I ran an errand or needed to get out of the office, would I take Bacall. He told me that at times he just needed to be alone and not be "guided." It's interesting trying to wind your way through a store that she knows and she would work hard to "guide" me. Dogs.

I was introduced to the world of the blind while working with Emmett, and learned how a world without sight functions. I became a whiz at tongue diagnosis (an important aspect of oriental medicine) only because you have to be able to see to use this particular empirical to accurately diagnosis Qi problems. He had several "apprenti," and we all took turns assisting in the management of his life and practice, and at times, we did resent it. In all fairness, he made a huge effort to make sure we were compensated for our time and effort, but it was hard nonetheless.

I have had a lot of people in my life who have a disability of some kind. My ex-sister-in-law Cathy is deaf, and the rest of that family hard of hearing. This usually meant the TV was up loud all the time and there was a lot of yelling anytime you went over to their house. I learned American Sign Language (ASL) out of self-defense, because they would talk about you right in front of you, and you couldn't understand a word they were saying. I understand now. I became so proficient in ASL that I would translate for Cathy when she would get a ticket and have to go to court. Interpreting in a legal setting is high pressure to be sure. You can make big bucks doing it, but it wasn't for me.

So anyway, it was interesting to see this little slice of life at Abundant Life church. They are a pretty tight knit group and provide support for each other. They welcomed me openly and I had a good time. I just wish that the sighted people who were around would have stopped saying to my prospective subjects, "Smile! She's taking your picture!"

Some of the participants said they could "feel" my flash; others said they had no hint of bright light. It's interesting to think about, especially in light of the fact I couldn't do what I love without my eyes.