White Cane Day, My Personal Perspective

Clear skies and bright sunlight peeked through a welcome canopy of shade trees--live oak and pine, willow and bamboo, dogwood and pecan--as the road curved ahead. It was a beautiful, autumn day here in Charleston,South Carolina, perfect for a walk down the quiet, little streets of my neighborhood.

"Hey, Miss Sylvia," I called. A retired nurse who watches out for everyone, Sylvia is a true matriarch. My Lab Sonny and I pass by her house every day on our walks, and I've grown accustomed to listening for her to be out on her front porch. A distinctive squeak in one of the wheels on her car alerts me whenever she is driving down the street, and I wave at her as she calls to me or honks her horn in greeting.

"Hey, baby," came Sylvia's reply. "how you doin'?"

"All right. How about you?"

"Oh, I'm blessed. My knees is givin' me pain, but I've got to keep goin'." Miss Sylvia's voice always lilts with the authentic Gullah sound of the Lowcountry.

While  my neighbor and I chatted, I gave my rambunctious yellow Lab (who is soooooo not a guide dog) the command to "sit," keeping him occupied with kibble from my pocket. Sylvia and I wished each other a good day. Then having an afterthought, Miss Sylvia called to me again, "Hey, Laurie!" (Even eight-hundred-plus miles from home, I'll never get away from that darned family nickname, "Laurie.")

"Yes, Miss Sylvia?"

"Do you know if the garbage man came yet?"

"Well, I haven't heard him, but if you'll wait a minute, I can tell you." I went on to explain my technique of checking the garbage cans by tapping them with my long, white cane to avoid touching them. If the garbage cans consistently  echo with a hollow sound, I know that they are empty, that the garbage truck has come. A couple of thumps on a couple of nearby cans provided the answer. "No, ma'am! He has not been by here yet!"

"Oh, good! I can get my garbage out! Thank you, baby! You have a blessed one now!"

Since 1964, October 15 has been observed in the United States as White Cane Safety Day. In 2016, President Barak Obama proclaimed October 15 as "Blind Americans Equality Day," encouraging all Americans to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs." The entire month of October is often recognized as "Blindness Awareness Month," "Eye Care Awareness Month" and National Disability Employment Awareness Month. On many occasions, I join ranks with others to raise awareness on behalf of the blindness community. This particular day however, my heart was filled with a sense of dignity, contentment and exhilaration that simply could not be matched by any public display of recognition. Yes, on that beautiful, autumn day, my sighted neighbor looked beyond my physical blindness and saw my ability to help her. In fact, I daresay that Miss Sylvia has become so used to my presence in our neighborhood, she didn't even stop to consider my blindness at all.

I could write volumes about my journey through life as an avid cane user: my choice not to use a guide dog; my adopted pet dog with special needs who lopes along beside me every day as I navigate our walks with my cane, the way that I see my extensive, nationwide cane travel experience as something between a dance and a sport, the pride that I feel to be an independent cane traveler and my gratitude to God for His gift of Faith which has allowed me to achieve such personal independence. Today--every day--I celebrate my life as an independent woman who happens to be blind.

"Jesus replied, ""'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39)

Today, I honor my walk with God and my long, white cane by just being real, being a neighbor, loving my neighbor and giving thanks for my neighbors--near and far, blind and sighted--who see me as the unique, whole person that God created me to be.

Thank God, and thank you, for your ongoing prayers and support. A special thanks also goes to Katie, the Aira agent on the other end of the phone, who assisted me long distance in taking the above picture. Stay tuned for more posts like this one. Until next time, God bless you; and, keep His Song in your heart.

© 2018 by Laurel Jean Walden

My "Deer Country" Adventure.

Here in South Carolina, hunting season begins rather early, in mid-August. As I was talking with friends about their plans to go deer hunting this year, I couldn't help remembering one of my own adventures in "Deer Country."

If you are on the road much at night, you probably know that deer can suddenly appear on the scene, endangering themselves as well as travelers.  I grew up in East Central Illinois "deer country", well aware of this reality.  In fact, my driver and friend, Carolyn and I were just recently talking about the time the deer hit us as we drove from Illinois into Kentucky. On a lighter note, though, I never could have dreamed that one of these critters would "steal the show" from me in broad daylight.

When I was in my mid-teens, I received a call from the program manager of a Central Illinois area resort, asking about my rates and availability to present dinner music on a regular basis.  The manager explained that the resort had just purchased a player grand piano. A decision was to be made, whether to hire a house pianist, or simply to use the player piano to entertain guests.  When I never received a follow-up call, I was fairly certain of the final decision.

About a year later, I was planning my first professional photo shoot at a grand piano. Remembering the contact from the resort, I called to ask if I could schedule a photo shoot there.  The manager agreed, and we set a time when the dining area was closed to the public.

My photographer and I walked into the establishment and found the piano in the lounge area.  Seated at the grand was "Old Buck", the manmade likeness of a deer, stuffed, life-sized and wearing a tuxedo.  A passing employee explained enthusiastically, "Oh, yeah! The deer plays the piano.  We wire his hooves to the keyboard and put a disk in the player grand.  It's really great!"

We respectfully placed Old Buck in a chair out of the way, returning him to his seat of honor after the photo shoot.  When my photographer left, I asked my mom to take some pictures with her camera. This photo op was just too good to pass up!

Old Buck and I talked things over and parted friends.  If it meant being a novelty in a smoke-filled lounge, I really do think that he was the best man for the job.

As I write, we here in the United States are celebrating Labor Day. I thank God for all who work to keep our country going and growing strong. I am grateful for God's guidance in my own life and work. One of my favorite Scriptures, Ephesians 2:10 reads, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them." There is no doubt in my mind that He has a sense of humor, and that Divine Humor never ceases to keep me humble.

Stay tuned for more posts like this one. Until next time, God bless you and keep His Song in your heart!

Reaching For That Rainbow ...

It has often been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. For many of us, , some of the greatest works of art are those drawn from the seemingly infinite reservoir of vocabulary. Throughout my forty-plus years, I have invariably found myself standing in front of some visual wonder next to a sighted person who exclaims in a voice awash with tears, "Oh, if only you could see this!"

Many times, I have stifled the urge to offer a snarky remark in return. Trying my best to wrap my irritation in a bundle of enthusiasm, I usually opt for the more appropriate response of, "I can see through your eyes."

My effort to console the grief of another over that which is perceived to be my problem is met with mixed reactions: an awkward chuckle, an uneasy silence; an awkward embrace; a pat on the hand or an exclamatory, "God bless you, honey!" Sometimes, my sighted companion will begin describing visual characteristics to me.

Whether the description is beneficial to me or not, I keep striving to offer encouragement, "There, now we can see it together!"

Reflecting on these kinds of experiences, I thank God for the people in my life (blind and sighted with different abilities and disabilities), who refrain from wasting their words on pity. My mind's eye beholds the memory of a beautiful sunset described spontaneously to me over dinner or frosted glasses of tea. I thank God for the shopping trips with friends who simply take a little more time so that I can also enjoy the day of standing in front of store windows, examining delicate items on glass shelves or flipping through clothes hangers. In the treasure trove of letters written by my friends, I immerse myself in the vivid descriptions of outings, the crisp mountain air, the sounds of ocean waves, the scent of evergreen at Christmastime. Thousands of words enrich my life and I am grateful for each one

Recently, I was asked to speak a word of God's blessing for a very dear couple as they celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary with family and friends. Our outdoor festivities were interrupted when, literally out of the blue, a surprise thunderstorm sent all of us packing into the kitchen, dining room and living room of our gracious hosts. The house filled with laughter as guests of all ages continued to enjoy a truly memorable evening.

The sun was shining again as the party drew to a close. We walked outside and were greeted by a gentle shower of raindrops. Then, the air was filled with delightful surprise as everyone beheld the most beautiful double rainbow that anyone had seen in a long time.

Caught up in the excitement, I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that I was among friends.  I handed off my phone to the person standing next to me and asked her to take a picture. No one asked me why I wanted a picture. No one asked me jokingly if I could see the rainbow, and no one bemoaned the fact that I couldn't see it. Descriptive words flowed effortlessly from those around me, and I was as excited as everyone else. I truly felt included and accepted, just as I am!

What is the Kingdom of Heaven like? Well, as I see it, the kingdom of Heaven is like a group of people--blind and sighted, on different walks of life--who gathered one day to celebrate life and love. Together, we reached for a rainbow; and, together we caught it!

The lyrics of the song "Vision Through Your Eyes,"* which I penned over twenty years ago, are just as heartfelt for me now as they were back then.

"When walking down our different roads we meet again,

You can be sure to find me as I've always been ...

Reaching for that rainbow, the everlasting harmony

Of colors around us every day,

And when people ask me what makes life worth living this way,

I will tell them of the vision through your eyes ... "

*"Vision Through Your Eyes," Music and Lyrics ©1997 by Laurel Jean Walden/ASCAP

Stay tuned for more posts like this one. Until next time, God bless you and keep His Song in your heart!

©2018 by Laurel Jean Walden

Celebrating Independence and Education

As we here in the United States prepare to celebrate yet another Independence Day, I thank God for all of the brave men and women who over the years have given their lives to protect our country's freedom. I am grateful for every God-given opportunity that I have to exercise and nurture my Christian faith, my literacy and my personal independence. With each new day, we who are blind can give praise to our Creator for touch and taste; for sound and scent; for hearts, minds and souls ready to perceive, grow and share a vision that is as unique to us individually as a thumb print. Our fingers glide with speed and accuracy over computer keyboards, touch screens and Braille displays. We work in mainstream application environments guided by the synthetic speech of screen reading software. We navigate our kitchens, homes, neighborhoods, schools, careers and communities. We stand at lighted street crossings, poised with long white canes or dog guide harnesses in hand, attentive to the ebb and flow of traffic and ready to move forward at a moment's notice.

Still, on any given day, all of us with our different abilities are met with stumbling blocks, barriers and even brick walls. Preconceived notions, myths and stereotypes abound. When asked, the majority of us who are blind or otherwise differently able will readily say that our greatest obstacles often lie in the propagation of these untruths, many times by people who claim to be our greatest advocates, by folks who "really do mean well."

Education is the key to breaking down barriers. Our personal, everyday interactions in our mainstream communities can be changed from negative to positive when we who are blind  pause to answer a question posed, or correct an  erroneous statement made, by a sighted person regarding our blindness. In addition, we can empower and educate each other, as we share our lists of goals and resources with our brothers and sisters who are also blind.

In June, I was called to lead music and ministry for the Friends of Bartimaeus Christian Outreach for the Blind here in Charleston, SC. I was joined by Kimberly, a fellow Dixie Lander and the manager of the "Own Your Life" program at the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Together, we led an informal discussion about resources available to the blindness community.

It is always a joy to educate sighted children and youth on blindness-related topics. Here, Kimberly and guide Fonzie, Audrey with guide Jessie, and I spoke to "Pet Partners," one of the summer day camp sessions presented by the Charleston Animal Society. These young people, ranging in age from twelve to fifteen years, had a lot of great questions for all of us. While many asked questions about guide dogs, others simply wanted to know our stories, how we learned to read and how we pick out our clothes.

Of course, before we all said goodbye, the kids got to meet Fonzie and Jessie and spend a little off-harness time with them. Seeing the difference in the dogs' demeanors in and out of harness gave even the adults a better appreciation of the relationship between blind handlers and their guide dogs. These times of meeting and greeting, tail wags and doggie kisses are always absolutely priceless!

In this world, some of us are born blind or become blind later in life. Others among us have sight. These traits shape our lives, sometimes more or less profoundly, but they do not define who we are. There is no "least" or "greatest" and no place for "us and them."

The Bible tells us that the first and greatest commandments are that we (1) love God and (2) love our neighbors as ourselves. I believe that when we learn to love God, we learn to see ourselves as God sees us. Through our personal growth in God's infinite wisdom, we can begin to truly love our neighbors as ourselves. Across the hall or around the globe, let us continue to break down barriers and celebrate as we learn more about each other.

God's Light keeps shining! Stay tuned for more posts like this one. Until next time, God bless you and keep His Song in your heart!

© 2018 by Laurel Jean Walden