Have you ever been in complete pitch blackness where you could not even see your hand in front of your face and been completely lost? I have been in this situation. Read this true story below to learn more.
I was walking down the sidewalk in my neighborhood one day like I do for exercise and relaxation. Daydreams went through my mind as the suns relaxing rays warmed my body. The air smelled fresh as it blew all around me rustling the leaves in the nearby trees. I heard the occasional leaf rustle as it slid and tumbled by me. The delightful fragrances of the flowers and scented trees; like the Pines, Magnolias and Eucalyptus, lofted in the air.
Soon the sidewalk felt unfamiliar to the bottoms of my feet. I was stepping on unfamiliar cracks, gravel and dirt I was not used to be stepping on. As I walked further down the sidewalk, my arm brushed against bushes I was not familiar with. I reached out with my hands and explored the bushes with my finger tips and was correct. This unfamiliar bush did not grow this fast since the last time I had walked on this route; I thought to myself, as my uncertainty grew. I was crossing driveways with unfamiliar slopes and cracks and traveling unfamiliar distances to cross the driveways I would have passed normally on this route. The top of my head and forehead was brushing against low hanging branches and leaves from trees I never used to bump into at this point in time and distance on my route. Corners and intersections to the streets came up at unexpected times and locations.
Starting To Panic?
A small wave of panic ran throughout my mind and body. I thought to myself I must be lost! As this thought of being lost ran through my mind I tried to stay calm so I could concentrate, think clearly, get oriented and get back on course. I am diabetic and panicking would burn more blood sugars at a quicker rate, and I did not want to have a hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) attack while lost. I knew that having a hypoglycemic attack would cloud my mind and not allow me to reason and think clearly enough to get me out of my lost state. I did have my glucose pills in a plastic pill container in my pocket like I always do just in case of such an emergency.
You might think that being lost in your neighborhood is not such an obstacle to overcome.
Being lost in your neighborhood does create a special challenge for some when you have crossed a few streets in your route and you are completely blind and can not see a thing; only pitch blackness. The darkness I see is darker than if you put your cupped hands over your eye sockets attempting to block out all light. This is what I have seen since I lost all of my vision instantly one day after work in 1999 when I had a very critical unexpected medical condition.
Finding My Way Again
I continued to breathe at a steady pace so I would not get over excited. I walked for a while down the unfamiliar sidewalk listening for familiar sounds from wind chimes, fountains in yards , water running in nearby creeks and echoes and reverberations bouncing off of objects I would normally pass. I would feel for clues to where I might be with my feet and canes. I walked back and fourth and around a couple of corners to see if I could figure out where I was, based on external signals and sensations. I did not go too far in any one direction fearing I would walk further away from my destination. I tried to listen carefully to traffic on the nearby streets. I live in an undeveloped area and there is not much traffic for me to judge where I was by listening to traffic flows and patterns.
I stood in one position trying to determine where the sun was in the sky from where I felt the warmth of the sun rays hit against my body. By knowing the time of day from my brail watch and where I thought the sun was in the sky, I might have been able to tell if I was heading north, south, east or west. This method did not work well enough for me to get back on track.
Where Did I Get Lost?
I thought back along my route to see in my minds eye when and how I made a wrong turn and got off my attended route.
In my neighborhood we have rounded curbs that gently slope to the street on all sidewalks. On each corner there is a curb cut that cuts into the sidewalk from the street for wheel chair access. This curb cut gently slopes down and up on each side as you round the gradual curved corner on the sidewalk. A lot of the intersections do not meet up with each other in orderly four way intersections that are laid out in the typical plus sign configuration as two streets cross each other at even ninety degree angles. I think one possibility of what might have happened to cause me to get lost; as I walked on the sidewalk just before one of the corners where the street teed up against another street. The sidewalk became littered with small branches, dirt, leaves and small rocks. I veered towards the street to go around this minor obstacle. The sound and feedback sensations coming from the tip of my long white cane as I tapped it against the asphalt in the street felt and sounded similar to when I walked on the sidewalk with all the debris. When I veered back towards the sidewalk I still felt debris below my feet. I stayed towards the street to keep away from these obstacles and kept walking. Soon I felt a curb directly against the side of my foot. I stepped up onto the sidewalk which was clear of obstacles and debris. My only idea of how I got off track and got lost is that I must have crossed a street instead of rounding the corner as I had hoped to accomplish.
As I walked around some more attempting to get oriented I heard voices. I followed the voices until I was close enough to the person who was talking. I asked Where am I? When this question did not get a response I rephrased my question. To my astonishment this person did not know how to explain where they were. I thought to myself they might not have noticed I was carrying one long white orientation cane and one short white support cane with red tips on each and was blind. I walked some more and heard other voices in the distance. I followed these voices until I was close enough and asked again. “Where am I? What street am I on?”” I am blind and can’t see the street signs.” To my frustration and amazement this person did not know where they were either. I asked in a slightly different way what direction it was to a local street I knew I was relatively close to. They told me a direction to walk. I started walking and it did not feel or sound like it was the correct direction.
I heard another voice and once again I followed the voice to find the person who was talking. I asked the same type of questions I had asked the other two people. To my delight and excitement this person did know where they were. The last person told me the incorrect direction, and as I had thought I was walking in the opposite direction I needed to go to get back on course. These two nice and friendly people I met told me exactly where I was in relationship to where I wanted to go. They told me exactly how to get back on course. They were correct! I was back on course and back on my route once again. With great relief. I felt the sidewalk and other familiar landmarks once again that verified I was on the correct route and I was no longer lost.
I Found My Way and Made It Home
Soon I was home again. I took two hours on a walk that would have normally taken one hour. I sure had an adventure to tell my wife when I got back home after my walk.
This trip turned out to be a very good experience that provided great exercise and some good learning opportunities. Some of which I have listed below.
• Pay attention to surface changes in the routes you travel. These changes might be your only clue that you have gone off your desired route.
• Be prepared to stay out longer than you anticipate. Bring small items like I did with my glucose tablets just in case you do get lost on what you might think are short and uncomplicated walks.
• Know the surrounding streets in your route. Then if you get lost and meet up with others and they give you directions you will know how to get back on course based on their directions. Remember from my experience not all people you will meet will know where they are; or can give accurate directions. Be optimistically cautious.
• Even on short walks it is possible to get lost. I have a standard cell phone and a talking GPS system built for the blind and visually impaired which I left at home. I thought on such a short walk, which I have done dozens of times, nothing could go wrong.
• Stay calm and do not panic. This extra unintentional adventure into unknown areas should be just as enjoyable as your desired walk was meant to be. Keep smiling; it will keep you calm.
• You can think of this unintentional diversion of being lost and finding your way again as good practice. The more you get lost the better you will be at finding your way again in unfamiliar areas. Plus if I did not get lost I would have never had the opportunity to meet two very nice people.
Has anyone else been lost and been successful at finding your way again? Do you have any other tips or suggestions to help us have better orientation and navigational skills in our travels? We all look forward to your stories, comments, ideas and suggestions.
Bill Tipton
Contributing Author
Global Dialogue Center
http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/