Never walk alone. Methinks everyone in the world has felt like they were alone. Most of us have had at least one ‘pitty party’. Some more than others, some with more reason than others.
I look at my life and don’t find a lot to do any pitying about. Then when I look at others I know some have a lot to get them down, if they were allowed to.
Remembering my Aunt Georgia, a sweet lady who lost her sight. She moved around in ‘her’ house as well as someone with sight. When we visited she always prepared coffee for mom and dad and milk or tea for us kids. Aunt Georgia was one that a kid could talk to. I watched in wonder as she was the perfect hostess, Uncle Oscar helped a little but she preferred to maneuver herself.
I followed her in the kitchen and she knew I was there, “Jackie, are you in school now?”
“Yes ma’am, but I want to know something. How do you how do you keep from running the cups over the top?”
“It is a trick you learn when you cannot see. Look, I put my finger over the edge of the cup, not enough to touch anyone’s drink, but I can sense the cold or hot as it gets near.”
“But how do you keep from tripping and falling when you carry all that into another room?”
“Oh son, I have fell more times than you can count on your fingers and toes, but the trick is to keep everything in the same place and remember where it is. If you fall, you feel around to find out why, then you fix that, so it don’t happen again. But the main thing is when you fall, blind or not, is that you get up again.”
As I write this, I remember a song our twin grandsons, Josh and Stephen used to sing, with motions something like this:
“Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.”
You probably are or know someone who fits the category.
I would be amiss not to mention Bill Irwin. He lost his sight in his 50’s. He walked the entire Appalachian Trail with his dog Orient. Sherry and I were fortunate to have dinner with him and his beautiful wife in Bangor, Maine before he passed away. Bill was a celebrated international motivational speaker. Yep, some march ahead to another drummer.
Nite Shipslog
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These are some 1972 vehicles……
The Gremlin, pretty much of a mistake by AMC
Reagan’s Ride. Sherry and I saw this one in the Henry Ford. The windshields had discolored into a milky haze and the curator did not know why.
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8 comments:
Like this post so much. I try to get John to do some of these tricks like putting his finger in the edge of the glass so that he doesn't run it over with that sticky diet soda. I guess he knows I'm always there to clean it up. I bought an owl napkin holder that his glass case fits perfectly in. If he would always put them in it when he takes them off he could always find them.
Loved your story. We choose to let or not let things handicap us in life.
Great post.
Keep beating the different drum
Lisa
Wise advice from your Aunt Georgia.
Good stuff! That's pretty neat about how your Aunt Georgia taught herself not to make the same mistake again; plus - blind or not - being sure to get right back up again.
Too, I think it's neat how the 'little guy' that you were referred to his Aunt Georgia as "ma'am." That's something my son and DIL instilled in their girls from an early age. (Not so sure it 'took' with Chloe, but I liked that they - and their friends - were taught respect at home.)
Excellent post. My 5th Grade teacher had this saying she'd recite whenever she heard some having a pity party.
I once cried cause I had no shoes
Till I met a man that had no feet.
I've never forgotten those words.
R
Your Aunt Georgia had a great attitude and an independent streak for wanting to do things herself. I think if one is determined, one can adapt to a disability like this and be pretty high functioning; seems like Aunt Georgia displayed that determination!
betty
Our attitude does matter to whatever happens in life. I often think that song about picking yourself up and starting all over again is my theme song. I can see just fine, but that doesn't mean I haven't fallen a time or two. Both metaphorically and physically. Your aunt was a great lady for sure ! Hope you both are enjoying a nice Labor Day weekend!
Aunt Georgia sounds like a great lady to know. I plan on getting Bill Irwin's book soon. I just finished ' A walk in the woods', wanted to read it before the movie. I noticed on Bill's website that there is a movie coming out about him. I knew someone in my hometown that had the AMC Gremlin. Hope you and Sherry have a great Labor Day! Love from up here, Sheila
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