You sir are the blind one!

As someone who is married to an individual who is blind and also has the privilege to know others with similar eye issues I have insights into human behaviour and prejudice some others might not.

Those who know me also know that I like to talk and swap stories and opinions with almost everyone I meet. My conversations are in depth and range from social to political conversations, one of my favorite topics is personal history. I have a strong belief that to know someone requires an intimate knowledge of how they grew up along with their personal life experiences. It was during one of these conversations with my wife that I learned a person of authority and power had stepped over the line.

Just like you and I and most of the people on the planet, she has dreams, hopes, aspirations and talents. Her blindness does not affect the fact that she too wants to succeed in life and contribute and be a part of the social community. After all doesn't everyone need and want a chance to be heard and considered as well as feeling valued and part of the whole?

It is to this fact that I wish to express my concern and disappointment. Inspired recently by a letter written by a concerned wife about the treatment of her husband, I felt compelled to bring this issue to light in order to change the perspectives of those who believe themselves superior or better than those around them. Peoples differences are what make life interesting and I applaud those with open minds when it comes to the acceptance of others and their short comings, rest assured we all have some.

So to the teacher who had the gall to tell my wife when she was in school trying to better herself; that her lack of sight would prevent her from ever getting a job and that she was wasting her time, I say shame on you. By courageously stepping out of her comfort zone and try something new, she was doing what comes natural to everyone and the fact that you tried to crush that makes me angry. No one has the right to take another person’s hopes and dreams and crush them in their infancy.

I thank the good Lord above for giving my wife the fortitude to move beyond those comments and the strength of courage to continue exploring life. And to the teacher I would like to inform him that Merna, is a wonderful, caring person and fully capable to hold down any job she so chooses. Not only is she working full time and actively supporting charities through her crafts, but she gives more care for others than I have seen anyone else in my life. I am of course biased by the fact that I love her beyond words, but I also know that she sees more with her heart than most people do with their eyes.

It is my honour to know her as a person and I would bet on her courage above many others so called normal abilities. I would also like to point out one of the most evident things about this whole incident and that is that you sir are the blind one! You were blind to the ability of another, blind to your own prejudice and blind to the harm that you could have caused. I would even go as far as saying that the only disability in this sad story was the self-inflicted disability of your own senses and mind.

To my wife I say never let anyone tell you that you are not good enough, smart enough or able enough to do anything. You are valued and your worth is beyond compare, you are a child of God and nothing is impossible for you to do.

Why seniors should have more technology than the youths

Anyone who knows me also knows that I have an Omama, and that Omama is the name that is given to a Grandmother from my cultural background. Now I am sure that I am like everyone else, we are impacted by the ones we love and notice age more on the eldest living generation in our families. For me the last line of defense against the onslaught of time is my Grandmother.

As she has aged over the years her ability to do things has been impacted, including the opportunity to travel distances without the aid of a vehicle driven by someone else. For a short time she lived with me and my wife but after a few new health issues she made the choice to move in with one of my sisters. There were many reasons for this, but one of the main ones were having more people around at all times for her to interact with.

You see, everyone needs community and my Omama had lost that due to her physical limitations and the fact that my wife and I are very busy people going from here to there like a couple of bees. So for her mental health and quality of life alone this was the best choice for her and the benefits were seen almost immediately.

But the biggest change came when she was introduced to Facebook and got a tablet, boy was that huge. All the connection that she had lost with friends or family was immediately restored and easily accessible. She was once again part of the group and distance and time seemed to have no limitations. Now even if she misses a family event, she can still see pictures and comments online and send her best wishes. Technology has truly changed her state of mind in a positive manner having ripple effects in other health areas of her life. I can genuinely say that the internet is making her a happier, healthier person which brings me back to my point that seniors should have more access to technology then our youths.

Anyone who knows an older person and believes they might not have enough interaction with the external world; I encourage you to give this virtual community a try, give them a tablet and watch the changes. You won’t regret it. A big shout out to my sister who had the idea, you have changed her life.