⠠⠌⠕⠗⠊⠑⠎⠀⠠⠉⠀⠠⠓⠑⠇⠏⠀⠠⠏⠀⠠⠎⠑⠑
⠀⠀⠠⠃⠽⠀⠠⠗⠥⠌⠽⠀⠠⠏⠻⠑⠵
⠀⠀⠀⠠⠵⠀⠁⠀⠃⠇⠀⠏⠻⠎⠕⠝⠂⠀⠠⠊⠀⠁⠎⠎⠕⠉⠊⠁⠞⠑⠀⠷⠞⠢⠀⠾⠀⠏
⠱⠕⠀⠹⠔⠅⠀⠮⠽⠀⠐⠅⠀⠁⠇⠇⠀⠁⠃⠀⠍⠑⠀⠆⠉⠀⠮⠽⠀⠐⠅⠀⠐⠕⠀⠹⠬⠀⠁⠃
⠍⠑⠂⠀⠞⠀⠊⠎⠀⠞⠀⠠⠊⠀⠁⠍⠀⠃⠇⠲⠀⠠⠭⠀⠉⠙⠀⠆⠀⠔⠀⠁⠝⠽
⠒⠞⠑⠭⠞⠂⠀⠷⠞⠢⠂⠀⠔⠀⠍⠽⠀⠉⠁⠎⠑⠂⠀⠭⠀⠊⠎⠀⠔⠀⠮⠀⠒⠞⠑⠭⠞⠀⠷
⠍⠽⠀⠗⠕⠇⠑⠀⠵⠀⠁⠀⠍⠥⠎⠊⠉⠊⠁⠝⠲⠀⠠⠾⠳⠞⠀⠋⠁⠊⠇⠂⠀⠁⠋⠀⠠⠊
⠁⠍⠀⠋⠔⠊⠩⠫⠀⠏⠻⠿⠍⠬⠂⠀⠐⠎⠐⠕⠂⠀⠥⠎⠥⠁⠇⠇⠽⠀⠍⠀⠹⠁⠝⠀⠐⠕
⠏⠻⠎⠕⠝⠂⠀⠺⠀⠁⠏⠏⠗⠕⠁⠡⠀⠍⠑⠀⠾⠀⠁⠀⠉⠕⠍⠰⠞⠀⠎⠡⠀⠵⠲⠀⠦⠠⠽
⠜⠑⠀⠎⠀⠁⠍⠁⠵⠬⠲⠀⠠⠊⠀⠉⠄⠞⠀⠏⠇⠁⠽⠀⠁⠝⠀⠔⠌⠗⠥⠰⠞⠂⠀⠯⠀⠠⠊
⠉⠀⠎⠑⠑⠲⠴
⠀⠀⠀⠠⠊⠀⠓⠀⠗⠜⠑⠇⠽⠀⠐⠅⠝⠀⠓⠪⠀⠠⠊⠀⠩⠙⠀⠗⠑⠎⠏⠕⠝⠙⠂⠀⠯
⠋⠗⠑⠟⠥⠢⠞⠇⠽⠂⠀⠠⠊⠀⠓⠀⠋⠑⠇⠞⠀⠇⠀⠗⠑⠎⠏⠕⠝⠙⠬⠀⠾⠀⠁
⠎⠝⠊⠙⠑⠀⠉⠕⠍⠰⠞⠂⠀⠃⠀⠠⠊⠀⠙⠀⠝⠀⠥⠎⠥⠁⠇⠇⠽⠀⠙⠀⠎⠀⠥⠝⠨⠎
⠠⠊⠀⠁⠍⠀⠐⠏⠊⠉⠥⠇⠜⠇⠽⠀⠏⠻⠞⠥⠗⠃⠫⠲⠀⠠⠃⠀⠹⠀⠊⠎⠀⠝
⠗⠑⠌⠗⠊⠉⠞⠫⠀⠞⠕⠀⠌⠗⠁⠝⠛⠻⠎⠆⠀⠠⠊⠀⠓⠀⠐⠎⠀⠇⠰⠛⠀⠐⠞
⠁⠉⠟⠥⠁⠔⠞⠨⠑⠎⠀⠱⠕⠀⠔⠎⠊⠌⠀⠕⠝⠀⠍⠁⠅⠬⠀⠍⠽⠀⠃⠇⠰⠎⠀⠮
⠋⠕⠉⠥⠎⠀⠷⠀⠳⠗⠀⠔⠞⠻⠁⠉⠰⠝⠎⠀⠾⠀⠚⠕⠅⠑⠎⠂⠀⠕⠃⠎⠻⠧⠁⠰⠝⠎⠀⠯
⠕⠮⠗⠀⠉⠕⠍⠰⠞⠜⠽⠀⠕⠝⠀⠃⠇⠰⠎⠲
⠀⠀⠀⠠⠊⠀⠓⠀⠞⠗⠊⠫⠀⠞⠕⠀⠐⠥⠌⠯⠀⠐⠱⠀⠹⠀⠉⠕⠍⠑⠎⠀⠋⠆⠀⠠⠊⠀⠁⠍
⠒⠧⠔⠉⠫⠀⠞⠀⠮⠽⠀⠙⠀⠝⠀⠍⠂⠝⠀⠞⠕⠀⠆⠀⠓⠥⠗⠞⠰⠇⠂⠀⠃⠀
⠮⠽⠀⠜⠑⠀⠙⠑⠋⠔⠊⠞⠑⠇⠽⠀⠎⠥⠶⠑⠌⠬⠀⠞⠀⠆⠬⠀⠃⠇⠀⠊⠎⠀⠔⠋⠻⠊⠕⠗
⠞⠕⠀⠆⠬⠀⠎⠊⠣⠞⠫⠂⠀⠵⠀⠊⠋⠀⠐⠎⠓⠪⠀⠆⠬⠀⠃⠇⠀⠩⠙⠀⠍⠁⠅⠑⠀⠍⠑
⠔⠉⠁⠏⠁⠃⠇⠑⠀⠷⠀⠙⠕⠬⠀⠹⠬⠎⠂⠀⠑⠧⠢⠀⠹⠬⠎⠀⠱⠀⠙⠀⠝
⠗⠑⠟⠥⠊⠗⠑⠀⠎⠊⠣⠞⠲⠀⠠⠹⠂⠀⠠⠊⠀⠆⠇⠊⠑⠧⠑⠂⠀⠊⠎⠀⠑⠭⠁⠉⠞⠇⠽
⠱⠁⠞⠀⠘⠮⠀⠺⠑⠇⠇⠤⠍⠂⠝⠬⠀⠉⠕⠍⠏⠇⠑⠰⠞⠜⠊⠁⠝⠎⠀⠹⠔⠅⠲⠀⠠⠊
⠁⠎⠅⠀⠮⠍⠲⠀⠠⠱⠕⠀⠊⠎⠀⠍⠀⠉⠁⠏⠁⠃⠇⠑⠀⠔⠀⠁⠀⠙⠜⠅⠀⠗⠕⠕⠍⠂⠀⠽
⠕⠗⠀⠍⠑⠦⠀⠠⠊⠀⠏⠕⠔⠞⠀⠳⠀⠞⠀⠁⠝⠽⠐⠕⠀⠉⠀⠓⠀⠁⠀⠲⠁⠃⠊⠇⠰⠽⠂
⠙⠗⠥⠛⠀⠁⠃⠥⠎⠑⠂⠀⠕⠗⠀⠋⠑⠜⠲⠀⠠⠹⠀⠑⠇⠊⠉⠊⠞⠎⠀⠁⠀⠇⠁⠥⠣⠂⠀⠃
⠝⠕⠀⠡⠁⠝⠛⠑⠀⠔⠀⠆⠓⠁⠧⠊⠕⠗⠲
⠀⠀⠀⠠⠮⠽⠀⠆⠇⠊⠑⠧⠑⠀⠞⠀⠸⠮⠀⠎⠊⠣⠞⠀⠓⠁⠎⠀⠏⠇⠁⠽⠫⠀⠁⠝
⠔⠙⠊⠎⠏⠢⠎⠁⠃⠇⠑⠀⠗⠕⠇⠑⠀⠔⠀⠸⠮⠀⠙⠑⠧⠑⠇⠕⠏⠰⠞⠂⠀⠯⠀⠎⠀⠮⠽
⠸⠉⠀⠒⠉⠧⠀⠷⠀⠁⠀⠇⠊⠋⠑⠀⠌⠕⠗⠽⠂⠀⠁⠞⠀⠇⠂⠌⠀⠐⠕⠀⠾⠳⠞
⠎⠊⠛⠝⠊⠋⠊⠉⠁⠝⠞⠀⠞⠗⠁⠥⠍⠁⠀⠯⠀⠓⠜⠙⠩⠊⠏⠀⠯⠀⠎⠁⠙⠰⠎⠂⠀⠔⠀⠮
⠁⠃⠎⠰⠑⠀⠷⠀⠎⠊⠣⠞⠲⠀⠠⠮⠽⠀⠕⠧⠻⠀⠑⠍⠏⠓⠁⠎⠊⠵⠑⠀⠮
⠝⠑⠛⠁⠞⠊⠧⠑⠀⠊⠍⠏⠁⠉⠞⠀⠞⠀⠃⠇⠰⠎⠀⠍⠌⠀⠓⠀⠸⠓⠀⠕⠝⠀⠍⠽
⠇⠊⠋⠑⠂⠀⠆⠉⠀⠮⠽⠀⠊⠍⠁⠛⠔⠑⠀⠮⠍⠧⠎⠀⠔⠀⠮⠀⠎⠁⠍⠑
⠎⠊⠞⠥⠁⠰⠝⠂⠀⠯⠀⠮⠽⠀⠋⠑⠜⠀⠞⠀⠮⠽⠀⠉⠙⠀⠝⠀⠓⠀⠎⠥⠒⠑⠫⠫⠲
⠀⠀⠀⠠⠮⠽⠀⠇⠬⠻⠀⠕⠝⠀⠮⠀⠋⠁⠉⠞⠀⠞⠀⠎⠊⠣⠞⠀⠊⠎⠀⠃⠑⠞⠞⠻⠀⠹⠁⠝
⠃⠇⠰⠎⠂⠀⠔⠌⠂⠙⠀⠷⠀⠉⠑⠇⠑⠃⠗⠁⠞⠬⠀⠓⠪⠀⠠⠊⠀⠉⠙⠀⠎⠕⠇⠧⠑⠀⠮
⠏⠗⠕⠃⠇⠑⠍⠀⠃⠇⠰⠎⠀⠉⠗⠂⠞⠑⠎⠀⠔⠀⠉⠻⠞⠁⠔⠀⠜⠂⠎⠂⠀⠞⠕⠀⠛⠑⠞
⠕⠝⠀⠞⠕⠀⠮⠀⠍⠀⠊⠍⠏⠕⠗⠞⠁⠝⠞⠀⠚⠕⠃⠀⠷⠀⠇⠊⠧⠬⠖⠀⠠⠍⠕⠌⠀⠷
⠁⠇⠇⠂⠀⠮⠽⠀⠉⠀⠝⠐⠑⠀⠿⠛⠑⠞⠀⠁⠃⠀⠍⠽⠀⠃⠇⠰⠎⠀⠵⠀⠠⠊⠀⠙⠀⠁⠞
⠐⠞⠎⠲
⠀⠀⠀⠠⠎⠂⠀⠱⠁⠞⠀⠊⠎⠀⠮⠀⠎⠕⠇⠥⠰⠝⠦⠀⠠⠊⠀⠓⠀⠷⠞⠢⠀⠹⠐⠳⠀⠞⠂
⠎⠔⠉⠑⠀⠠⠊⠀⠓⠀⠃⠑⠢⠀⠃⠨⠎⠫⠀⠃⠽⠀⠮⠀⠛⠢⠻⠕⠎⠰⠽⠀⠯⠀
⠅⠔⠙⠰⠎⠀⠷⠀⠸⠍⠀⠏⠂⠀⠭⠀⠊⠎⠀⠍⠽⠀⠚⠕⠃⠀⠞⠕⠀⠫⠥⠉⠁⠞⠑
⠎⠊⠣⠞⠫⠀⠏⠲⠀⠠⠸⠍⠀⠎⠊⠣⠞⠫⠀⠋⠕⠇⠅⠎⠀⠓⠀⠑⠊⠀⠏⠗⠕⠧⠊⠙⠫
⠕⠏⠏⠕⠗⠞⠥⠝⠊⠞⠊⠑⠎⠀⠿⠀⠍⠑⠀⠞⠕⠀⠓⠀⠑⠭⠏⠻⠊⠰⠑⠎⠂⠀⠕⠗⠀⠮⠽
⠓⠀⠁⠉⠞⠥⠁⠇⠇⠽⠀⠞⠁⠥⠣⠞⠀⠍⠑⠀⠹⠬⠎⠂⠀⠐⠮⠿⠑⠂⠀⠠⠊⠀⠓
⠙⠑⠞⠻⠍⠔⠫⠀⠞⠀⠮⠀⠺⠁⠽⠀⠠⠊⠀⠉⠀⠏⠁⠎⠎⠀⠞⠀⠁⠇⠰⠛⠀⠊⠎⠀⠞⠕
⠫⠥⠉⠁⠞⠑⠀⠕⠮⠗⠎⠲⠀⠠⠃⠀⠱⠁⠞⠀⠙⠀⠺⠑⠂⠀⠵⠀⠃⠇⠀⠏⠂⠀⠓⠀⠞⠕
⠞⠂⠡⠦
⠀⠀⠀⠠⠺⠑⠀⠉⠀⠏⠻⠏⠑⠞⠥⠁⠞⠑⠀⠮⠀⠌⠕⠗⠽⠀⠷⠀⠎⠥⠒⠑⠎⠎⠲⠀⠠⠿⠀⠑
⠌⠕⠗⠽⠀⠷⠀⠔⠚⠥⠗⠽⠀⠯⠀⠔⠉⠁⠏⠁⠉⠰⠽⠂⠀⠺⠑⠀⠍⠌⠀⠞⠑⠇⠇⠀⠁
⠌⠕⠗⠽⠀⠷⠀⠁⠒⠕⠍⠏⠇⠊⠩⠰⠞⠀⠕⠗⠀⠚⠕⠽⠀⠕⠗⠀⠛⠗⠪⠹⠲
⠀⠀⠀⠠⠐⠮⠀⠜⠑⠀⠎⠊⠣⠞⠫⠀⠏⠀⠘⠱⠀⠋⠑⠜⠀⠷⠀⠆⠬⠀⠃⠇⠀⠍⠁⠅⠑⠎⠀⠭
⠙⠊⠖⠊⠉⠥⠇⠞⠀⠿⠀⠮⠍⠀⠞⠕⠀⠎⠑⠑⠀⠁⠝⠽⠀⠕⠮⠗⠀⠺⠁⠽⠀⠷⠀⠇⠊⠧⠬
⠇⠊⠋⠑⠂⠀⠃⠂⠀⠿⠀⠍⠕⠌⠀⠏⠂⠀⠭⠀⠊⠎⠀⠁⠀⠇⠁⠉⠅⠀⠷
⠑⠭⠏⠻⠊⠰⠑⠲⠀⠠⠯⠂⠀⠱⠢⠀⠮⠽⠀⠓⠑⠜⠀⠳⠗⠀⠌⠕⠗⠊⠑⠎⠀⠷
⠎⠥⠒⠑⠎⠎⠂⠀⠷⠀⠁⠒⠕⠍⠏⠇⠊⠩⠰⠞⠂⠀⠷⠀⠁⠃⠊⠇⠰⠽⠂⠀⠮⠽⠀⠺
⠎⠇⠪⠇⠽⠀⠉⠕⠍⠑⠀⠜⠨⠙⠲⠀⠠⠺⠑⠀⠍⠌⠀⠝⠀⠁⠇⠇⠪⠀⠮⠍⠀⠞⠕⠀⠓⠑⠜
⠕⠝⠇⠽⠀⠐⠕⠀⠌⠕⠗⠽⠂⠀⠮⠀⠌⠕⠗⠽⠀⠐⠱⠀⠃⠇⠰⠎⠀⠓⠁⠎⠀⠍⠁⠙⠑
⠇⠊⠋⠑⠀⠡⠁⠇⠇⠢⠛⠬⠆⠀⠮⠽⠀⠍⠌⠀⠓⠑⠜⠀⠮⠀⠌⠕⠗⠽⠀⠷⠀⠇⠊⠧⠬
⠇⠊⠋⠑⠀⠁⠎⠊⠙⠑⠀⠋⠂⠀⠕⠗⠀⠔⠀⠎⠏⠊⠞⠑⠀⠷⠀⠃⠇⠰⠎⠲
⠀⠀⠀⠠⠮⠀⠙⠁⠝⠛⠻⠀⠔⠀⠁⠝⠽⠹⠬⠀⠊⠎⠀⠎⠑⠑⠬⠀⠕⠝⠇⠽⠀⠐⠕⠀⠎⠊⠙⠑
⠷⠀⠮⠀⠌⠕⠗⠽⠲
Stories Can Help People See
By Rusty Perez
As a blind person, I associate often with people who think they know all about me because they know one thing about me, that is that I am blind. It could be in any context, often, in my case, it is in the context of my role as a musician. Without fail, after I am finished performing, someone, usually more than one person, will approach me with a comment such as. "You are so amazing. I can't play an instrument, and I can see."
I have rarely known how I should respond, and frequently, I have felt like responding with a snide comment, but I do not usually do so unless I am particularly perturbed. But this is not restricted to strangers; I have some long time acquaintances who insist on making my blindness the focus of our interactions with jokes, observations and other commentary on blindness.
I have tried to understand where this comes from; I am convinced that they do not mean to be hurtful, but they are definitely suggesting that being blind is inferior to being sighted, as if somehow being blind should make me incapable of doing things, even things which do not require sight. This, I believe, is exactly what these well-meaning complementarians think. I ask them. Who is more capable in a dark room, you or me? I point out that anyone can have a disability, drug abuse, or fear. This elicits a laugh, but no change in behavior.
They believe that their sight has played an indispensable role in their development, and so they cannot conceive of a life story, at least one without significant trauma and hardship and sadness, in the absence of sight. They over emphasize the negative impact that blindness must have had on my life, because they imagine themselves in the same situation, and they fear that they could not have succeeded.
They linger on the fact that sight is better than blindness, instead of celebrating how I could solve the problem blindness creates in certain areas, to get on to the more important job of living! Most of all, they can never forget about my blindness as I do at times.
So, what is the solution? I have often thought that, since I have been blessed by the generosity and kindness of many people, it is my job to educate sighted people. Many sighted folks have either provided opportunities for me to have experiences, or they have actually taught me things, therefore, I have determined that the way I can pass that along is to educate others. But what do we, as blind people, have to teach?
We can perpetuate the story of success. For every story of injury and incapacity, we must tell a story of accomplishment or joy or growth.
There are sighted people whose fear of being blind makes it difficult for them to see any other way of living life, but, for most people, it is a lack of experience. And, when they hear our stories of success, of accomplishment, of ability, they will slowly come around. We must not allow them to hear only one story, the story where blindness has made life challenging; they must hear the story of living life aside from, or in spite of blindness.
The danger in anything is seeing only one side of the story.
