Saturday, June 11, 2011

Great things about being blind. Are you reading?

Yesterday, June 10, would have been the birthday of my grandfather on my mom's side.  He was a wonderful man who was full of life and energy.
He liked to build things.
He tried to teach me to hammer nails and I wasn't too good at it at first.
He loved fishing.  He took me out fishing a few times.
The first time, he told me I had to be quiet in the boat so as not to scare the fish.
Anyone who knows me, knows that not talking is not at all easy!
I found that fishing trip quite boring.
He loved to garden and to talk with people.
He managed a grocery store all of his life.
I miss him still.
In honour of him, I tell this story.
I've said before that a great thing about being blind is being able to read in bed an night with the lights off.
When I babysat kids, I could read to them with their lights off.
Made me a popular babysitter.
they would tell other babysitters to turn the lights off and read them a book.
One time, I was staying with my grandparents at their cottage.
At night, I went and climbed into bed.
My grandfather came and knocked.
The conversation went like this.
"Are you okay Kim?"
"Yes thanks papa."
"What are you doing?"
"Oh just reading."
"Do you want me to come in and turn the light on?"
"No thanks."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes I don't need the light."
Then a big laugh.
He had forgotten I was blind.
I always like it when people forget that.
It means that they think of me as a person who is blind and not just a blind woman.

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