A Mentor For Sarah

One of the biggest struggles that Sarah has is that she feels alone. Even though she has plenty of friends and is presented with many social situations that loneliness feeling seems to follow her because she is the only blind person that she knows. I can completely understand why she feels this way.

I have searched for other kids like Sarah, but blindness in children isn't all too common. And in the couple of cases where we have had the option of being with others who are blind those children also have a myriad of other issues that made communicating difficult for them. Sarah is looking for someone who is like her. Someone who is "normal" (I hate to use that term, but I lack a better one right now) outside of their blindness. I can completely understand this desire too.

Being abled differently has taught Sarah (and all of my children) to reach out to those who are different and to be more compassionate and kind to all types of people. It has also taught them that even those who look different from us all have the same desires to be loved, makes friends, and experience happiness. So, Sarah's desire to find someone who is "only" blind isn't because she is snubbing others, but because she is looking for someone to talk to - to share experiences with - that only another blind person can relate to.

It just so happens that my desire to help Sarah and my ability to strike up a conversation with just about anyone opened up an avenue that allowed Sarah to find someone just like her (well, almost).

I was at a soccer game of Andy's and I noticed a young lady (I thought maybe a freshman in high school) who was blind. I watched her from a distance and hemmed and hawed about whether I was really going to introduce myself to her and explain why I was stalking her (although be blind she wouldn't have really known I was stalking her). I waited for a bit and decided that I was going to leave her alone, but if I happened to pass her again during the course of the soccer game I would approach her. Well, lo-and-behold I did pass her again and I followed her up the bleachers to where she was going to sit with her family. I really think her family thought I was crazy at first. I introduced myself and explained why I was approaching this young lady. She was very lovely and kind and didn't seem to mind my stalking her.

And that is how Sarah came to know Ana.

I found out that Ana is freshman in college. She has been blind her entire life, but has has more vision than Sarah does. We were invited to their home yesterday and I brought Sarah over to meet Ana and her family. It just so happens that Ana has a 12 year old sister who is very sweet. (Sarah will be 11 in December.) This was a double bonus because here is girl near Sarah's age who has been dealing with the blind all of her life through her sister. She understands what it means to have a sibling who cannot see. Along with just talking with Sarah about being blind and what that means for Ana she also showed Sarah all the technology that she uses to help assist her to write papers, do math homework, write emails, etc... She showed Sarah some tricks in using her cane and offered to help Sarah in any way that she could. Ana's mother is wonderful and although she does not speak any English I had a very good time using my limited Spanish (Thank you Andy and Josh!) to communicate with her. They are such a generous and giving family. They are going to be in touch with some people in the blind community who will be able to assist Sarah in some mobility training and just some companionship.

She is freezing in this picture!

Sarah was very quiet the hour and a half that we were with Ana and her family. I thought that she didn't have a good time, but when we left Ana's home Sarah got the biggest smile on her face. She was so happy to finally meet someone who was just like her.