Hi everyone,
If you, a friend or family member have become disabled suddenly, or gradually you might understand “firsts”. I call these progressions in my life “firsts”; but others may have a different name for such steps. The steps I talk about are steps it takes to do some activities one might have done prior to your disability or life changing event. These might be activities one would have learned as a child. Now that one is disabled or because of life events need to do things differently would have to learn these tasks all over again utilizing completely different methods and overcoming new challenges.
I have been lucky to experience a few “firsts” in my road to recovery. I want to share a recent first with you in the story below.
Hitting a Softball without Sight
Has anyone ever played softball before? Probably a few of you have I would assume.
I used to play softball occasionally when I had eyesight and could walk with out the aid of two canes; one long white cane and one white support cane.
Now that I have become completely blind instantly one day after work I have had the opportunity to learn how to do everything over again, like I was a child experiencing everything for the first time with the same fear, anxiety and joy of success.
Recently I was listening to my nieces and nephew laughing as they hit and threw a softball around in my sister-in-; law & brother-in-laws back yard. I was so tempted to participate in their joyful playing, but was not sure how I could without eyesight.
My wife Kathy and I were walking around in the yard as I contemplated in my mind if I should try to get involved in the fun and try something I had not tried since going blind. I could not resist the temptation to participate any longer. I folded up my long white cane and placed it in my back pocket. I dropped my support cane to the ground far away from me; so I would not trip or step on my cane. I picked up the bat and softball and told my wife I was going to give it a try. I could not see her face with my physical eyes, but could imagine the smile, joy and amazement on her face in my minds eye. I asked her what direction to hit the ball so I would not break a window. After adjusting the direction I was standing I asked her if anyone was near me, so I would not hit them with the bat or ball.
I took a deep breath, imagined in my mind what it would look like when I would hit the ball and relied on my faith for the rest. I gently tossed the ball into the air trying to gage my throw so the ball would go up in the air a little above my head and be centered with my body. I waited what I thought was the appropriate amount of time for the ball to fall directly in front of me below my shoulders and above my hips. I then bent my knees slightly as I crouched down very little and took a swing with the bat. As the bat swung forward I was hoping I would hear and feel the bat hit the ball. I missed the ball on this first attempt as my bat whizzed through the air missing the ball. Shortly after I missed I heard a thump as the ball hit the ground. I was not going to let missing the ball on my first attempt discourage me. After finding the ball I tossed the ball into the air once more and swung the bat. I missed yet again on this second attempt.
The next time I tried I heard the crack of the bat hitting the ball solidly as I felt the bats impact on the ball. I heard the excitement in my wife's voice as she yelled aloud with enthusiasm. I was amazed I actually hit the ball and I could feel the smile on my face widen with a great big grin. I proceeded to hit many balls into the field with some misses’ in-between my hits. Soon after hearing the crack of the bat hitting the ball many times, and the excitement, my niece and nephew went into the outfield to catch the balls I was hitting. I hit some line drives directly to them; some over their heads and others bouncing along the ground to them. I even hit one ball over the outfield fence into a small barn area where goats lived; I did not hit any of the goats. Everyone yelled “home run!” as the ball sailed over the fence.
Soon hearing all the excitement and commotion I had an audience. My other relatives who were inside the house came outside to join in the fun, laughter and excitement.
I had lots of fun hitting the ball and participating in the sun and fresh air with others. I was very glad I pushed myself to give this “first” a try. It could have been very easy not to pick up the bat and take a swing and just listen to others having fun on the side line. I am very thankful I chose to participate instead of taking the easy way out and not try.
I am very grateful to have gotten this opportunity for another first. Since going blind suddenly, loosing the ability to walk for one year one day after work I have had to relearn how to do everything over again, like I was a child experiencing everything for the first time again.
I hope everyone can have faith you can pick up the bat and hit the ball in life; even if you can not physically see the ball you are swinging at.
Key Points - Relying on Faith to Hit a Ball I Could Not See
• Just try the task you have not tried in your present physical condition.
• Picture yourself in your minds eye succeeding in this task.
•Do not hesitate for long before you try this new task. You might decide to put off for another day that might never come.
•Just think about how you would feel if you did not try to overcome this obstacle; probably the thought of not trying would be far more fearful than actually doing the task in your present physical condition.
• Think of each new task you accomplish as a first are like building blocks. The more of these new firsts you succeed at the higher your stack of blocks will be. How tall your stack of blocks; or attempts to build your stack of blocks equates to how much you continue to grow.
• You do not need to succeed at your attempts to get the benefit. Just trying is better than not trying at all.
I would love to hear other stories of firsts or how you rely on faith to overcome what seems to be obstacles. I think we would all like to hear any other tips to overcome hesitations for trying these “firsts” in our life’s.
BILL Tipton
Contributing Author
Global Dialogue Center
http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/
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