February 25 - Time

The other day someone who didn’t know me very well, but did know that I was visually impaired, asked, “What do you do with your time? You must find that the time just crawls when you can’t see to do anything!”

This fellow was quite serious with his question. I hastened to reassure him that my time never seems to stand still and that I keep quite busy indeed. In fact, because I don’t see well, it often takes me longer to complete certain tasks. Frequently, I find that I don’t have enough time to do all the things that I would like to do.

There are many misconceptions about blindness but this one was new to me. A person who is blind can do very much more than sit and watch the minutes tick by. I think that people have the choice to fill their days in whatever manner they choose. This goes for whether they are sighted or not. The trick is to find the right balance.

So, what do I do with my time? I walk with a friend five days a week. I swim once or twice a week. I belong to three different social groups. I facilitate a support group for people with vision challenges. Although I can’t see print I am an avid reader of audio books. Together with Lyle we have a strong relationship with our children and their families. We both like to travel. Oh, and of course, I like to write on this blog!

I am very aware of time, but I try to keep a balance. As my Dad often said, “Time enjoyed wasting is not wasted time.” Yes, I do keep busy but I also like time to relax and smell the roses.