Do you see what I see? - Deccan Herald - Right in the Middle (23-Nov-2021)

Do you see what I see?

He had a wine glass and a still-water glass next to him but never spilt it.

The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision – Helen Keller

A profound statement from one of the greatest advocates for the blind.  Blessed with extra-sensory capabilities, she and others overcome challenges to be a boon to humanity.  With our eyesight intact, we have many a lesson to learn.

During my decade-long stint at an MNC, one of my coworkers moved around a maze of cubicles with utmost certainty.  He never used the White Cane - a device that helps manage basic movement by scanning the surrounding for any obstacles.  He covered good ground to reach the restroom but never faltered.  He always washed his hands with soap at the wash basin, and never knocked off a person accidentally.

My business partner and I visited a home for business discussions with a gentleman from the UK.  An immaculately dressed man stepped out from the farthest room along a corridor.  His gait with a swift movement of arms caught my attention. He welcomed us with a firm handshake and sat us down on the sofa. 

He informed us that he was completely blind, though not an inkling in his demeanor.  We scheduled another meeting the next day.  When we entered the venue, he turned around in one swift movement to welcome us and shook hands in perfect alignment with our first names, as we watched in bewilderment.

During a trip to Geneva, my resident cousin introduced me to an elderly gentleman who lived alone in a huge mansion with a guide dog.  He was visually impaired at a later stage in his life.  Always impeccably dressed, he treated me to a couple of dinner sessions. 

At the dinner table his movement was laced with finesse.  He had a wine glass and a still-water glass next to him but never spilt it.  His exquisite use of the cutlery and the napkin was a treat to watch.  He knew where exactly his dog was seated below the table when he fed him something to nibble on.

During the drive with my cousin at the wheel, he was the GPS in the car.  He provided a running commentary of the monuments and heritage in the city as we moved around.  He was the avatar personified of Al Pacino in the Scent of a Woman, minus the idiosyncrasies.

During college, I traveled to a village to participate in a cataract eye camp.  I helpd an old lady who had almost lost her eyesight.  I returned in an hour to check on her but her eyes were bandaged and she said she does not remember me.  As I turned around, I heard a laugh – she blessed and thanked me profusely.

Blindness equips the individual to see with a compassionate heart and develop a vision far greater than what meets the eye!  Where does that leave us?  Do you see what I see?!