Trust; Walking Without Eyesight

During a leisurely walk on a route I take frequently for exercise and relaxation, I contemplate the importance of trust. I believe the mind-set of trust can be in a person’s own ability, self-confidence, faith, or in others to do the “right thing”.

 

The thought of trust and the value of it occurs frequently when I pass certain locations on a local walking route.

 

I am completely blind and walk with a white support cane in my left hand and in my right hand I swing a long white cane.  I use my long cane to detect obstacles and receive feedback about the surface I am walking on from the cane tip as it touches the ground on every swing. I am constantly listening to the environmental sounds to help with orientation by remembering unique sound landmarks and utilizing auditory senses to detect obstacles by interpreting sound waves as they travel from their source and bounce off surfaces. Soon I hear the noise of motor vehicles passing in front of me getting closer and closer at a perpendicular angle. This is an indication that I am reaching a cross street. Feeling the light prick on my left hand from a sharp Yucca leaf that hangs over the sidewalk causes me to quickly feel my hand for possible injury (blood or deep scratches). I do not feel anything out of the ordinary, so I continue my leisurely walk with a chuckle and a smile.  Not far after passing the Yucca plant I slightly touch a fence to my left with my cane as the sidewalk slopes down and turns left onto another street and I reach a curb cut for a wheelchair access ramp.  I hear noticeably more motor vehicles passing me, going much faster than they were on the street I had just left. My senses and long cane tell me this part of the sidewalk is narrow because I cannot swing my cane to the left too far without hitting a fence, or feeling an abrupt drop off to my right with my cane tip.

 

When I explore this part of the route I discover the sidewalk is a considerable distance above the street which reinforces the need to pay attention so I do not accidently step off the curb. As I get closer to the next corner the motor vehicles are even closer, due to the fact they are coming from the west and turning to the south (cutting the corner). At this point the sidewalk slopes down for a curb cut for a ramp that gently turns to the left as the sidewalk abruptly ends. I carefully step off the curb paying attention to the direction I was walking to enable me to make an accurate direction adjustment, angling my walk to the left slightly enabling me to find a footpath rather than walking into the motor vehicles just in front of me.  Just after stepping off the sidewalk in search of the asphalt footpath, I cautiously walk through grass and dirt sensing hidden obstacles with my feet and canes. I soon feel my feet touch something solid as I then hear the tap of my cane against a hard surface alerting me I have reached the footpath. Feeling the border of the path with my feet I turn left and continue my leisurely and joyful walk.

 

Not long after I get my rhythm going, my cane hits something metallic sounding and very solid causing my body to slightly collide with the obstacle from my forward momentum. I explore the unknown object with my cane while attempting to figure out what could be blocking the footpath.  After some investigation I determine the obstacle is a vehicle parked across the footpath. As I maneuver around the vehicle towards the left, so I do not walk into motor vehicles passing on the street to my right, suddenly my cane hits another metallic obstacle. This obstacle does not sound or feel (with my cane) as solid as the vehicle, although this obstacle has blocked me from continuing down the path. I attempt to find a way around the two obstacles, when I hear a voice speak to me in a language I do not understand. I ask this person I do not know with self confidence and friendliness in my voice, if the path around to the left is clear.  This person answers me in their language which I do not understand. I then feel a trusting and caring hand touch my arm and gently guide me safely around the obstacles. At this point I remember, at times, a person would set up a stand to sell fruit at this corner, and the stand and their vehicle might be what the obstacles are. As I maneuver around the vehicle and other obstacle I ask the friendly person if they are selling strawberries.  This caring person understands the word strawberries and responds “yes”.

 

As I continue my peaceful and exhilarating walk I listen to the babbling creek to my right, and light breeze blowing through the leaves in the trees' canopies. I imagine in my mind’s eye what these images looked like when I had eyesight as I smile with remembrance of the beauty of nature. Suddenly I hear the sound of a bicycle coming up from behind me. Staying calm I demonstrate faith and trust that the rider would see me and my white canes. I slowly move to one side and stop to wait for the bicycle to safely pass. After I hear the bicycle pass very close, I say “hi” to the rider as I wave in their direction and continue my relaxing walk.  The silence of nature and solitude is interrupted by the sound of feet hitting the ground and quiet human breathing coming towards me, providing awareness a jogger is approaching. I continue to walk trusting the jogger will see me and not run into me, but move to one side of the path to allow the jogger room to run by as I say “hello”.

 

As I continue my relaxing walk, the path gently starts to slope down and gradually turns to the left, then to the right. This change of direction and slope is my landmark to start searching for the end of the paved path to enable me to find the sidewalk on the next street. Soon I do not feel anymore dirt border to the left of the path with my cane   alerting me I have passed the end of the path and have started to cross the street. At this point I quickly and abruptly turn to the left and walk back in the direction I had come from, at an angle that will enable my route to end up near the intersection of the street and the sidewalk. Suddenly I touch a dirt border with my feet and cane and follow the border until I feel a curb rise up with my cane tip or my foot (whatever hits it first). I carefully step up on the curb using my support cane to assist. I am now safely half way on my relaxing journey.

 

Continuing my joyful walk, I anticipate the possibility of running into obstacles to keep me alert, providing practice negotiating obstacles, improving my orientation and mobility and cherishing the gratitude of meeting friendly people.  Soon my walk is over leaving me with the desire to take another joyful lap around the block. Every time I go on a walk I am reminded how grateful I am to have the ability to walk.  This attitude comes from knowing what it feels like not being able to walk, get outside or move at all without great difficulty. This is because the same medical condition that took my eyesight away caused me to be unable to walk for one year while I regained my strength and learned how to walk again. I am also grateful I demonstrated faith and self-confidence when the medical specialists told me I would never walk again, and I decided to pursue my dreams of walking again.

 

Do you have examples of when you demonstrated trust? What did you learn from trusting your own ability, self-confidence, trusting others to do the “right thing” or believing in your faith? Do you have any tips to help us increase our trust?

 

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

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Comments

[AJ]

I enjoyed this one very much. THANK YOU.

[Bernard Knox.]

Very good article.
Just walking around the block is quite a challange for a blind man.
William.

[Tony Stieber]

Lovely and insightful account of your walk, Bill. Thank you!

[Vic and Bev Clifford]

What a great story!

[Mark Anspach]

Your story invoked many thoughts about my times in the woods and mountains here in Colorado. We sighted people take so much for granted. I spend a lot of time hunting outdoors and find myself often training my senses on all aspects of my environment to cover many miles of terrain and elevation changes, detect signs of elk or other quarry with sight, smell, or touch, feel and see the weather conditions changing, feel the impact of my movement across the changing ground and protect my body from harm. I can think of many times when i pushed myself too hard and got into difficult areas at the end of a long day. The risks and perils can be great. I can't imagine tackling such intimacy with nature without vision and yet you do it all the time. I know many men who don't think of their hikes or hunts as a trust relationship with nature. But it can harm you if you do not respect it and handle yourself accordingly. When you learn how terrain flows in a region, you can often predict what lies ahead. That predictability also produces trust of sorts. Thanks for reminding me about something that matters in life.

[Babara Azevedo]

Hi Bill,
That was a beautiful article and makes me realize how much I take for granted, having sight! You know I have also taken the same walk and now I will have a new prospective and be thankful for so many things.
Your neighbor,
Barbara

[Bill Tipton]

AJ, Bernard, Tony, Vic, Bev, Mark, Barbara and others.

Thank you for demonstrating trust and taking the time to contribute your valuable comments.

Barbra, I am happy I provided some additional insights for your walks.

Mark, your comments reminded me of when I go on hikes in the hills / mountains and sense my surroundings, including wildlife, by auditory signals. Read Hiking Blind: Embrace All Senses for more details.
http://globaldialoguecenter.blogs.com/disabilities/2010/06/hiking-blind-embrace-all-senses.html#tp

We look forward to continuing this valuable discussion on trust and hearing your examples with benefits and lessons learned.

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,
Global Dialogue Center

[Stephanie]

Beautifully written! I felt like I was right there with you taking the walk. I face similar challenges/opportunities even though I'm not blind. I have limited mobility and have to rely on a number of devices to help me get from point A to point B. I don't let this stop me. I love to go for walks - specially in completely natural settings. On those days that I can stand upright and actually walk, I will take my walker and my canes and head out. It is amazing how many terrains are challenging for someone that must use these types of devices and has limited "leg" control. I have learned to trust in myself, to know my strengths and limitations, to know that there are kind individuals that will willingly help me if I need it, to REALLY "look where I'm going", and most importantly, to relax and enjoy the moment.

[C Flowers]

Great article! As we approach Thanksgiving, this article reminded me of how thankful I should be about the things in life that many may take for granted.