Rational use of a cane
I just wanna take a moment to get this out there. Not all knowledge is helpful. I was watching a video about the use of a cane by the visually impaired. Seems fitting. And when the narrator explained that for those with a cane it’s not if you will be hit by a car but when I had to pause. Full pause. I had not considered that as one of my possibilities. I live in the country and I know not to ramble across the highway. In fact in the last five years I have had zero reason to do so. A good idea because who knows when a phantom potato truck is going to roll on by. But the reality is that if I was to go to the city, I would have to think about my situation carefully not just the I can’t read the sign on your store possibility but the idea that I could take a turn and get lost and then not be able to explain to a passerby where I was actually coming from or going to. Unfamiliar territory. Yes I could use a white cane to battle the demons but not the getting lost and wandering into the path of an automobile. A reality check. Now, the idea of a guide dog has been presented and my own fear is that a dog would die of boredom. You can only watch your favourite human sitting down in a room for so many hours a day. I am going to have to learn more obviously. Try to get out of my comfort zone and talk to others who have limited vision. Let the record show that there are none in this area. At least, none that I have seen. In fact during my time in the workforce there were none, either. But don’t worry. I have lost the urge to wander around in the dark. It only took one encounter with an awkward set of stairs to show me that there are impediments. Rather, I will continue to self educate do my best to learn from the efforts of others. Also videos on how to use your cane are really boring. I can hardly see the point.
