World Braille Day

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Blind, Celebration, Guide Dog, Sight Loss

Happy World Braille Day. January 4th celebrates the birth of Louis Braille who created the reading and writing code for those with sight loss. At the age of 15, he created this system of communication based on Charles Barbier’s writing system. Louis Braille did not live long enough to see the first braille curricular adapted by France’s Royal Institute for the Blind Youth which was implemented two years after his death. His genius invention lives on and can be found in everyday use in literature, public places and in various other places but a lot more needs to be done to ensure that this accessible form of communication is more wide spread.

Personally, I have only started learning braille over the last two years and I have only learnt grade one braille which consists of letters, numbers and punctuation. The grade two braille that consists of contractions are used in one or two cells to correspond with groups of letters or whole words. This is something that I want to work up to. Braille shorthand or grade three as it is otherwise known as, is something that will take a while to master but as it is used the least in the blind community then I am in no rush to learn it.

With the use of vast text to speech programmes and digital equivalents of braille available today, not all sight impaired individuals opt to learn braille but there is something quite beautiful about the textured words that flow across each page.

Having used touch since birth to be able to process information that most process through vision, there is something quite magical about feeling the written word. As the little dots transform into letters and words from textured pages, the brain becomes awakened to an alternative existence that not all are blessed to know. Slowly reading each word as it appears on the page, allows you time to really connect with each word one at a time. Feeling closer to the author’s voice is a fortunate by-product of reading Braille as the brain interprets the word kinetically. Activating another sense to enter the world of the written word, allows an alternative portal to be opened to the reader where old words take on new meanings.

As 15-year-old Louis devised this system that has been universally adapted today, I wonder if he ever perceived how popular it would become. His invention can now be felt on places from door signs in many places, on buttons on stop bells on public transport and to medication packs at supermarkets. His contribution to the world needs to be celebrated more as he has given the gift of connecting individuals with sight loss to the sighted world.

Working my way up to grade two Braille is something that I feel I need to do. Not only would it be an amazing skill to have but it also feels like it is a mark of respect for an individual who has changed the lives of many. Thank you, Louis Braille, for creating instead of waiting for another to create.

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The Stages Of Learning

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Blind, Children, Dog, Education, Guide Dog, Kindness, Life lessons

With tiny soft fingers brushing my extra long ones, we walked side by side as we were led around the aisles. Avoiding customers and cages of goods ready for the shelves, on duty Munch made shopping possible. Taking us to our usual products in the shop, he waited patiently as my beautiful granddaughter’s little legs caught up with us. Here stood, the novice, competent and expert in the guide dog world.

Learning about animals is one thing that a child can never learn too early. It not only helps a child learn about empathy and how to care for another but along with many other benefits, it also taches them to have respect for all living things. She was introduced to Munch when she was 9 months old and he was nearly 2 and their love and respect for each other has blossomed into beauty. As she gently cuddles her gentle giant, they melt into each other with unconditional love.

When I was first introduced to Munch, I never thought that I would get the hang of not only the taking care of a dog but also the numerous commands and body positionings that you need to know for work with a guide dog. Reaching the competent stage of being confident enough to work with Munch anywhere has taken quite a while. We are blessed that our oddness in life is the common theme that has united us as one and helped us keep our oddness alive.

The expert in this new world is Munch himself who I am sure has lived many lifetimes and brought with him wisdom from each one. I joke that he was not put on this earth to work with his entitled view of where he fits in the world, but I cannot imagine him being anything else. He loves it when we are out meeting people and guiding me in an experienced manner that comes to him with ease. He could never be a stay at home dog. This wise old sage knows life lessons that many have yet to discover.
Learning from such cute wise experts helps to satisfy the inquiring mind. As the “why’s” fall out of my granddaughter’s sweet mouth, I feel blessed that we have Munch as an example of the answers to give. Why I need a guide dog, why he needs a harness, why we need to show him so much love and why he is such an important part of the family are the why’s in life that I never tire of answering. I have a sneaky feeling that Munch never minds teaching either as he leads us through life, leaving the trail of Munch magic behind him.

My Lucky Life

Tags

Animal, Blind, Dog, Gratitude, Guide Dog, Labradoodle, Sight Loss

“I am so sorry to hear you have lost you vision” said the blurred figure in front of me. The sincerity in his voice was sweet but my ears tried to deflect the genuine regret onto someone who really needed it. Standing by the bus stop on the way back from work, we had spent the last ten minutes talking to someone who knew me but I had no idea who they were. I did not recognize his voice or his shadowy blurry outline, but he knew a lot about me which was a little bit strange to say the least.
I always seem to forget that people use their eyes to recognize others and not voices, unique sounding footsteps or method of deductions to recognize who is there. This person knew where I lived and knew my children and I had no idea of who he was as his new voice made its way into my memory bank to be filed alongside the masses of others I had met throughout my lifetime. It must have been the puzzled look on my face that told him that I had no idea of who he was which prompted him to explain that he used to live on my street. Phew, panic over.
The first time he said that he was sorry that I had lost my sight, I felt a little shocked at what he was saying as if I am honest I had never felt any regret from loosing my sight. This was however not a thing that you could share with everyone as it was not an easy concept to explain. The fact that I usually forgot that I could not see can be hard to comprehend so I usually kept that one to myself. Explaining to others however that I had gained so much insight from my sight loss may still have been alien to them but my reasonings may be a little easier to understand.
My sight loss although is not ideal, is not fatal. Unlike some of the other side effects of Marfan Syndrome, sight loss was inconvienent but not life threatening. If I had perfect sight from birth I don’t think that I would have the unique view on the world that I am blessed with. I would not have learnt to think outside of the box and learn alternative coping strategies to make me lead a fulfilling life. I would have not met others that I know in the sight loss community either that have enriched my life. Most importantly, if I had fully functioning vision then I would never had met Munch. So sorry I am not.
I loved the sentiment of this blurry figure that stood in front of me as he was coming from the most compassionate place and thanked him but even after explaining to him that I was thankful more than sorry he just didn’t get it. It is never easy to understand another person’s life when we only have our own lives to match it too. It is sometimes those who appear to be without that are the actual ones that have the most enriched lives. I love my life and all that it has brought and would never want to change anything about it. I am thankful every day for the lucky life that I lead and hope that we can all someday start to appreciate how lucky we truly are.

My Positivity Default Setting

Tags

Beauty, Blind, clarity, Freedom, Gratitude, Happiness, Inspire, Marfan Syndrome, Motivation, Positivity, Sight Loss

Apparently, the world is a place full of disasters, suffering and misery where negativity reigns over the masses and keeps them from living the life that they really want to live. In this place, happiness is only limited to the chosen few and withheld form many. People are blocked from doing what they really want to do by the social constraints that are unfairly forced upon them by people in power and they can never do anything to change this. People in this negative world cannot control which way their life goes as they do not posses all that they need. This place sounds like such a soul-destroying place to live in. I am so glad I live elsewhere.

My alien invasion on this world that others speak of, makes me eternally thankful that my reality is so much different. The world in which I live is full of miracles, blessings and bliss where positivity is available to all to help them achieve the life that they really want to live. In this place, happiness is available to all and withheld from none. People are free to do whatever they want to do by their innate drive to want to succeed and by the support from the people in which they choose to surround themselves by. People in this positive world chose the direction of their life and the thoughts that they think by realising the simple things in life are all that they need to achieve the unachievable. This reality is such a magical place to live in, I am so glad that I live here and wish we all would.

The world in which we all live in, is the same world regardless of how we wish to see it. Choice on our external circumstances may be limited but we always have a multitude of choices available to us on how we perceive our internal reactions to these, it is only our limiting beliefs that close or minds off to living our life to the fullest regardless of the resources we have available to us. Sometimes it is the challenges in life that give us the most positive outcomes, as growth sometimes needs resistance to make it worthwhile.

My life may have never been easy, but I have always been thankful. As my friends in childhood led carefree lives, I was in hospitals for tests, scans and treatments but I never once saw this as unfair. I was thankful that I had the care that I needed. As I had operations over time when others remained scar free, I was thankful that we live in an age where things can be fixed. Loosing the blurry sight that I was born with made me thankful for the other senses that I still had and use to understand the world that others talked about. Experiencing pain from childhood from injuries that most will never experience, makes you thankful that you feel the pain as at least you know you have the gift of life. Being born with a connective tissue disorder that can affect all your body systems makes you feel blessed that you are still alive when others are sadly not.

We always have the choice on how we see the world. Saying to people that I have never seen the negatives in life is never an easy thing as there always seems to be more of them than me. I think that there is always something proactive that we can do about the less than desirable things in life to change it. My positivity default is unlikely to change in a life that has been so kind to me so if I don’t feed into the negativity default of a situation it is not because I do not care. It is the exact opposite. Switching from the negative to the positive default setting is the best way to help another so I am always ready to help flick your switch if you ever need it.

Here We Go Again

Tags

Animal, Blind, Dog, Guide Dog, Happiness, Humour, Judgement, Pets, Sight Loss

Don’t you just love it when the thoughts you are having in your mind manifest in front of you on the face of another. It makes you feel like you are not alone in the world thinking these thoughts. My daughter captured our thoughts in the facial expression of on duty Minster as we entered a familiar conversation with a stranger. After chatting to a lovely lady about how cute Minster was, she asked the omnipresent question that always surrounds us when out. “Have you got a client waiting for him after his training finishes?” she started the rehearsed dialogue. She was shocked when I said he had been trained and was mine and said she thought that they were only for blind people. Here we go again.

In the last 20 months since having him I have been asked for my collection bucket as they thought I was a fundraiser, been quizzed by members of the public who become on the spot ophthalmologists, been ignored as a stranger talks to the person I am with instead of me (as if a blind person can’t talk) and numerous other things that are too legthy to go into. To be fair none of these have offended me, they have just intrigued me and made me think of how some sighted people think that people with sight loss look like? More importantly, is there a way that I can stop this from happening in the future? Here are some of the solutions my quirky mind thought up –

• Overdose on the blind stereotype by wearing dark glasses, use my cane alongside my odd-looking Guide Dog and carry a braille book wherever I go
• Pre record an audio recording stating yes, I am registered blind and give a brief answer to all the questions that I am always asked and play it as soon as the questioning starts as that way I will save myself so much energy.
• Get a Neon sign to attach to my head saying yes, I am blind and yes, he is my Guide Dog.
• Get a printed dogs coat for on duty Minster saying ‘I am with the blind one’ with an arrow pointing towards me.
• Teaching Munch to talk so that he can answer the questions as they may believe him more.
• Become vampire like and avoid going out until dark so that we don’t have to encounter many people.
• Move to a desert island and hope that no parrot ever mutters “are you training him?” so that we can live without question.

Or, we could just carry on loving it really despite our eye rolls that we now mirror in each other. We love meeting people and we will never tire of being asked the questions that people want to know. I think that this is a good thing as I think that these questions will be asked for a very long time.

I Forget That I Cannot See

Tags

Achieve, Blind, clarity, Gratitude, Motivation, Peace, Possibility, Sight Loss

As my fingers expand out from the located space bar on my laptop, I forget that I cannot see. As I feel for and find the glass of water that sits exactly an arms-length away from me I forget that I cannot see. As I find the different textured coats hanging up on the coat hangers and locate the smooth coat with metal buttons, I forget that I cannot see. As I feel for Munch’s Guide Dog harness to get him ready for our walk, I forget that I cannot see. As my fingers dance in stillness towards the handle on the door, I forget that I cannot see.

As my hand trails the rail that leads us from the front door to the gate, I forget that I cannot see. As we walk the rehearsed steps that we have learnt to dance along the way, I forget that I cannot see. As we step over the blown concrete that is 17 steps away for the bend in the path, I forget that I cannot see. As we smell where the freshness of nature ends, and the staleness of buildings begin, I forget that I cannot see. As I wait patiently for the engines to stop zooming by on the road so that we can safely cross, I forget that I cannot see.

As we enter the shop and Munch takes me to the food that I ask him for, I forget that I cannot see. As he finds the worn-out spots that we stand on each time we are here, I forget that I cannot see. As I feel the familiar products that we want, I forget that I cannot see. As I hold the product next to my nose to check its established blur, I forget that I cannot see. As Munch finds the checkout I feel that the conveyer belt is free, I forget that I cannot see. As I find the money in my well-ordered purse, I forget that I cannot see.

As we walk home with wandering minds, I forget that I cannot see. As he leads me home whichever way he fancies, I forget that I cannot see. As I trust that tomorrow will be an equally fulfilling day, I forget that I cannot see. As I crave the new opportunities that always provides excitement in our lives, I forget that I cannot see. As I feel thankful for being here to think these thoughts, I forget that I cannot see.

As we go through life focussing on the negatives, we forget that we can live another way. As we go through life we focus on what we can’t do more than what we can. Whatever you are facing in life, remember that we can forget to allow these things to get in the way as we learn new ways to successful living. Remembering to forget may be the secret to your perfect life.

If I Can’t Read I May As Well Write

Tags

Blind, Motivation, Positivity, Sight Loss, Writing

When you are told that you are losing you vision even more than you have, you have a multitude of choices. You can agree with the ophthalmologist that this will have a serious impact on your daily life. You can choose to ignore it and carry on living life regardless. You may wish to become best friends with Siri and search the internet for miracle cures. You can choose to tell all your friends and family, or you can tell none. You can find some professional help for the changes you will need, or you can make up your own solutions as you go along. The reaction of each person will be different as that is the beauty of being human. We always have a choice.
Despite always having double partial vision from birth, I always loved to read the blurry print that I could not really see but always tried. Using methods of deduction rather than ability to read, picking out letters one by one that had less of a haze around excited my brain as I gradually figured out what the word was meant to say. As I worked out the rules of grammar from the blurry books in front of me when words on the board were a mystery, I fell deeper and deeper into the love of the written word. I love a good challenge.
Transitioning from partial sight to being registered as blind was no shock to me as it was inevitable. I did loose the love of smelling books old and new but then the idea of a challenge replaced that love. When I could no longer search for the books that I wanted to read, I thought I may as well start to write them. I wanted to write the positive books that spoke of hope instead of tragedy. My blurry eyes were missing that clarity of thinking in a world that was now inaccessible to me, so I found an alternative way to find that fresh void. Solutions are so simple if we allow them to be.
In an age where technology is so readily available, I would be daft not to use it. Using programmes such as Dolphin that speak to me, a Dictaphone and a magnifier of 1200% on inverted colours on the laptop, writing is more than possible. Having finally finishing writing my first book which has taken me exactly 5 months to do, I am sitting here planning completing my second book that has been eagerly waiting for me on my laptop for a while. Writing when you are blind is possible when you stop seeing barriers and start seeing solutions.
If I can no longer read, I may as well write. When we are faced with problems in life there are a multitude of solutions available to us if we want them bad enough. We are blessed to live in a time where help is in abundance from many difference sources, it’s just a shame we sometimes forget to look in these places. I hope your “can’t” also soon turn into your “may as wells”. Happy challenge fighting, you will smash it.

Things Happen For A Reason

Tags

Animal, Blind, Book Deal, Dog, Happiness, Hay House, Inspire, Love, Meaning of lIfe, Motivation, Positivity, Things Happen For A Reason, Writing

Giving thanks to failures and challenges in my life has never been as powerful as it is today Kissing the closed doors that have shut in my face and celebrating all my body parts that don’t function as well as a ‘healthy’ body, I can’t wait for magical days ahead of me that are waiting to be lived. If I was given the opportunity to have born with perfect sight, I would have turned it down. These things have all happened for a reason.

If my sight had not gone from bad to laughable, I would not have met my furry soul mate Munch and we would not have been about to embark on a very exciting time together. If he wasn’t born with not only the ideal temperament of an amazing Guide Dog but also the personality of a star, I would not have started this blog. A personality such as his needs to be shared to show that dogs are not just possessions that owners keep but equal beings that enhance life of the less hairy friends they end up living with.

The love of reading books was challenged many years ago when I stopped being able to read them. Isn’t the only option left then in such a situation, to write them instead to keep this love affair alive? It is this love of the written word that I have never seen clearly, that motivated me to attend a writer’s workshop 6 months ago. As Munch got lots of new beautiful admirers, I got lots of new ideas. A competition to win a book deal with one of the world’s leading publishers was offered to one lucky winner. As I scribbled down words that I could not see to look like I fitted in, I felt like an imposter in a room full of professionals.

Never one to pass up a challenge, I thought I may as well submit something and worked on a proposal for 3 months only to change my mind on the subject. As Munch lay his head on my lap during a meditation one night I knew that the book should be about him and his beauty. Relying on narration on the laptop to write the blurry words, we didn’t have long to chuck something together and make it look something like a few chapters.

Without all of things happening for a reason, we would not be about to start a whole new way of life. As the voice of an angel phoned me the day before the official date of the winner being announced to tell us we had won the competition, I thanked the universe for giving me a life full of luck. Three days on, I am still checking the video of the announcement on the official Hay House page to check that this is not just a long day dream. Why would they have picked this book proposal out of so many talented writers with books that people need to read.

Over the last 17 years, I have become a Hay House groupie. I have many of their books that I cannot read but bought to pass on to others who need them. Oracle cards line the shelves in my bedroom and I have their logo on Vision boards of things that make me happy. I have been to many of their workshops and seminars because they have people who you cannot help but love. These true earth angels spread messages that gives people hope and motivation to change the way people think and live. They are here for a reason.

I believe the reason that I was born with a connective tissue disorder was to be able to feel whole even in an imperfect body. The reason that I was partially sighted form birth was that it allowed me to see the world in a different way than many. The reason that Munch came into my life was to teach me it was now okay to tell the world that I could not see after pretending I could for the last 38 years of my life. The reason that all these things happened was to be able to have a story to write that helps people see the beauty in difference.

Things happen for a reason that we may not realize. When we think we are suffering, we are making room for better things. When we suffer physical pain, we are reminded of how precious health is. When we lose the ability to do something, we gain the ability to live life in a whole different way. When we think we are not good enough at something in life we are admiring the perfection in another person that exists within us that we need to wake up.

As Munch and I enter a dreamlike reality, we really hope that you find yours too and are just as ecstatic as we are with your new lives. I feel so blessed that such an amazing publisher is interested in my writing that has been inspired by Munch and countless other two-legged beings. Keep focussed on your dreams. Miracles really do happen.

Motivation Magic

Tags

Animal, Blind, Dog, Guide Dog, Happiness, Kindness, Love, Meaning of lIfe, Motivation, Pets, Positivity, Unique

As the smell of an enticing treat magically appeared from the ether, his motivation came back to life. Led by his nose, his body followed to retrieve his reward for working so hard that day. Well, a shopping trip to most may not have seemed like hard work but to Lord Munch it was. Being a Guide Dog meant that his time on- duty was full of concentration but his time off-duty was totally different. Eating, snoozing, playing and receiving love from all, is what keeps him happy. Motivation to Munch can be found in the simplest of things.

How motivation in each individual is so different, has always intrigued me. The meaning of motivation goes way beyond any definition that any dictionary can provide. On both a small and a large scale, we can never really hide from such a powerful drive that will either lead us places or keep us stuck. The magic of motivation for every little detail we choose or reject in life, happens for a reason.

Motivation for me means greeting challenges with open arms regardless of the opinions of others. My motivational magic happens when my label of disability tries to halt me, but my mind tells me that I, along with many are more than a label. Appreciating that I am alive each day in my non-perfect body is enough for there never to be a motivational drought. When my connective tissue in my body decides to cause pain, dislocations, blindness and abnormalities this is the exact motivation I need to see myself as whole.

Without the basics in life, motivation can be such a difficult thing to maintain. Striving to be the best at something in life can only really work long term if you want to do it for yourself. You are the constant in your own life that will be there to celebrate your own achievments without fail. The motivation to put in the work to achieve your ideal body is only worth it if you truly value all the hard work your body does for you. Bodies will change throughout our lifetime, but their amazing functions remain the same. Motivate yourself to become a better person only when you can accept people for who they are. They will become the better person they wish to be in their own time.

Munch has a simpler yet just as strong relationship with motivation. Give him food and he will love you forever as he plods on in life. Play ball with him and his unconditional love towards you will keep him loving our two-legged race. Leave him come and snuggle up on your lap and let him think he is a Chihuahua and he will always let you be who you want to be without judgement. Leave him rest when he wants, and he will always wait patiently for you when you are busy. His motivational magic is something that I would be lost without in life. Sometimes the simple things in life are the best.

You Do Know That They Haven’t Given You A Labrador Right?

Tags

Animal, Blind, Dog, Guide Dog, Happiness, Humour, Individuality, Labradoodle, Marfan Syndrome, Positivity, Unique

Another fan filled shopping trip completed on duty Minster, my daughter and I headed for the exit. It had been rather a quiet day with only two people stopping to talk to us, so we had completed our shopping in record speed. As we reached the door, I felt a gentle hand being placed on my wrist. A cheerful voice full of mischief leaned in to me and whispered, “Sorry love, but you do know that they haven’t given you a Labrador right”? This was comedy at its best. Weak from laughter, I thanked the man for his helpful observation and headed for the car.

There are two types of people in this world. The first being the over critical lot than seeks out offense in the most innocent situations and will take great pleasure in humiliating another if they so much as introduce humour into a sensitive topic. The second type of people are the ones that have natural wit and humour running through their bodies and don’t think twice about drawing attention to the elephant in the room. I like the second lot best.

Drawing attention to the fact that Minster Munch was not an average Guide Dog was nothing new. How the attention was drawn to the fact on this day was. Implying with good nature that I could not see that he was not the Labrador that everyone expects was so funny. I loved being included in a joke that he obviously saw no harm in. He belonged to a dying breed of people who have the natural ability to see light in an often-darkened place. Blind jokes were among the best around when they came from the right place.

Chatting to my daughter on the way back home, we both agreed how refreshing it was to be able to not take ourselves too seriously and laugh at ourselves. She too has Marfan Syndrome and although her eyes are fine, she has other complex issues that come with the disorder which means life can be quite challenging at times. She never lets this get to her though and I am so proud that she is following her life dream as a student midwife and lives life to the fullest. Remaining positive about living with such a serious condition helps us appreciate the beauty in life itself. It would be so easy to spend our days focussing on the everyday problems that can arise and feel sorry for ourselves but what would be the point?

Taking life too serious will never make us happy. We may not be able to have control over everything in our lives, but we always have a choice on how we let them affect us. Moaning and groaning over the slightest things in life means that we are missing out on amazing opportunities that are waiting for us. The fact that we wake up each morning and are ready to face the day is a miracle in itself yet we rarely appreciate it to its full extent .

I am grateful that this rare breed of funny people still exist in the world, who are not fearful of causing offence. These are the people who I would surround myself with every day. The people that see humour where many dread to tread. The ones who don’t mind their P’s and Q’s. Being politically correct does not enter their minds as they communicate with a person as a person and not as fragile object that needs to be bubble wrapped. Laughing at yourself can be the best therapy ever so laugh away to keep your troubles at bay. With or without a funny looking Guide Dog, choose to make your life a joyous one.