June 2 - Echo Location

This morning, a beautiful spring morning, I was walking along the town trail by the river. Earlier in the day I had been listening to a book by blind author, John M. Hull. He had written in his journal about echolocation, sometimes referred to as facial vision.

Echo location is basically the ability of someone without sight to sense that something is in front of him or her without actually being able to see it. Hull experienced this facial vision with obstacles that were as close as two feet in front of him and as distant as six to eight feet distant. Hull attempts to explain the phenomenon by writing that it is like feeling a solidarity in the air rather than an emptiness. Others have explained it by saying that they feel or sense a bouncing back of air, or an echo, from the obstacle in front of them.

I had first heard about facial vision when I spoke with Brandon for my book, Ex-Sighted, A New Vision. Brandon’s mother said that although Brandon even as a youngster couldn’t see, when he was running about the house, he would often stop just before he ran into a wall or other obstacle.

I was thinking about all this as I walked along the river trail and wondering if I had any sense of echo location myself. I was quite deep in thought when a fellow walker coming from the other direction stopped right in front of me. I hadn’t seen her coming and was quite startled by her sudden appearance. I guess that solved my question as to whether or not I could sense the presence of anything or anyone in front of me.

 “Hello,” she said. “You are doing really well.”

I wasn’t sure exactly what she meant by this but it turned out she was referring to my eyes. I’m never sure whether to feel flattered or annoyed when people make comments like this. I was too surprised to tell this woman that I didn’t see her coming until she was almost on top of me. I tried to explain that I like to walk this particular trail because it is familiar to me and I like to be able to walk without a cane or guide. I walk on the right edge of the path and I know if I go over the edge by the feel of the grass under my shoes instead of the asphalt. It is a good place to think but I also know that I need to stay aware of where I am.

Now that is a digression, so back to echo location. It seems that today’s encounter solved the question of  whether or not I have a sense of facial vision and I will remain somewhat mystified by just how this strange phenomenon works. I will just continue using the sight that I have and be glad for it.