November 20 - Lessons Learned

When my sight first changed, one of the lessons I tried to learn was to put everything I used back in its proper place.  I’m not a particularly tidy person by nature so the lesson has been a difficult one. In fact, I know that I haven’t quite mastered it yet. I have just spent the better part of an afternoon looking for two small items – a glasses case and a pair of travel socks.

Putting things where they belong is a good practice for anyone, but for people who don’t see or who don’t see very well, the practice becomes one of necessity. IF you can see, it is a simple matter to check out the items on a counter top or visually confirm the contents of a cupboard or drawer. Relying on touch is a different story. Locating something by feel only works if you have some idea of its position to start with. If my keys, glasses, wallet, et cetera, are all in their usual place, I can find them in an instant. Today’s frustrating search for misplaced items was a good reminder that I cannot depend on sight so I must keep my belongings in order.