[Missouri-l] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #147- Don't Look

[Nancy Lynn]

New THOUGHT PROVOKER #147- Don't LookPlease send your responses to the 
originator of this email. His address is below. I'm just sending this around 
to give it wider circulation.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Robert Newman
To: Robert Newman
Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2009 8:06 AM
Subject: New THOUGHT PROVOKER #147- Don't Look


THOUGHT PROVOKER 147

Don't Look

June 28, 2009

Thought Is The First Step To Beyond

"Ohhh." a faint cry of concern squeezed out from where Meagan pressed the 
back of her hand against her mouth. Sitting at the kitchen table, she 
watched her ten year old blind daughter, Carrie standing at the stove with 
her Rehabilitation Teacher, learning to fry her first pancake. Meagan couldn't 
stand it, her remaining hand flew up to cover her eyes (one bright green 
pupil peeking through parted fingers).

 "I think it's ready to turn over --- it slides when I touch it with the 
spatchula." Carrie's tone suggesting both self-talk and an open question to 
the adult at her side.

Pam responded with a question. "What do you think? How might you tell?"

"Well, it's all one piece and --- when I put the spatchula just a little 
under it, it has that special feel of not bending --- if I can catch up with 
it again." The sounds of a spatchula tapping and scraping sounded as the 
young cook worked to flip the cake over, before it burned.

"You're doing great." Pam's calming voice was intended for both Carrie and 
Meagan. She wasn't worried about her student. However in working with this 
family, it hadn't taken long to recognize the over protectiveness of the 
mother. And from the get-go, she had encouraged Meagan to be an observer of 
all lessons; though she hadn't yet noticed any major revelation on Meagan's 
part that blindness in and of itself wasn't a major handicapping feature to 
Carrie's abilities.

Meagan, still tense, sat as quietly as she could. It always took an effort 
to not step in and help her daughter; watching Carrie searching for things 
or hesitating or fumbling with something new always pulled Meagan's 
heartstrings. Having Pam come in once a week to work with Carrie had been a 
solution to a problem that Meagan hadn't thought could be answered, until 
she had joined a parents group and learned that there were professionals who 
could teach independent living skills.

Later, cooking and follow-up cleaning successfully completed, teacher gone, 
the exultant Carrie was in her room looking for an outfit that she would 
wear the next day for a special outing. "Oh fudge buckets --- where did that 
new top go?" She hurriedly fingered one hanging garment after another, 
sliding them sharply to the side, reaching for the next.

"Darling, here, let me help you." Meagan stood behind her daughter, reaching 
out. "Is it the fuzzy purple with the square buttons, that you want?"

"Mom, please. I can find it."

"Oh I know, darling. I'll just be faster."

"Mom! Pam wants me to practice more, doing stuff for myself. Okay."

"Oh --- you're right. I'll go and start supper. So if you need me, yell." 
Meagan walked out of the room, making a show of leaving. However, she 
silently paused, aligning one eye to peek around the corner of the open 
doorway.

The next day- "Meagan, hi, coming in?" Said the woman walking up to where 
Meagan stood waiting and watching at the corner of a lighted, moderately 
busy intersection. Melinda and Meagan were both members of a local chapter 
of Parents of blind children. The parents had agreed to wait for their 
children in side a coffee shop across the street from where the kids were to 
be dropped off. The idea being, the students would de-bus, cross the street, 
find the shop, come in and find their parent.

"Oh --- I'll be in before they get to the shop --- I just worry --- oh, it's 
silly." Meagan knew her answer hadn't come across well; it hadn't even made 
her, feel better.

"Meagan," said Melinda, lightly touching her friend's arm. "The kids will be 
fine. They've had training. These outings are to give them experience and as 
they work to learn and perfect their blindness skills, they will struggle. 
It's how all of us learn." Pausing, reflecting, Melinda finished with, 
"Meagan, may I share with you the best piece of advice I have ever been 
given?"

Seeing the acceptance, the need in Meagan's eyes, Melinda said, "It was ---  
don't look."

Greetings

Read through the above short story and send me your thoughts at: 
newmanrl at cox.net  Recall that I place all responses upon my web site as soon 
as I receive them for all the world to read and learn from and that web site 
url is http://www.thoughtprovoker.info

    What IT IS AND HOW IT WORKS: Thought Provoker is an independent e-mail 
discussion forum with the purpose to aid in the effort to change what it 
means to be blind. Participants, both readers and writers share their honest 
feelings and we learn from each other.  I Robert Leslie Newman am the author 
and moderator.  At this time a new PROVOKER runs for four weeks.  THOUGHT 
PROVOKER can be sent directly to anyone who contacts me with a request to 
join the THOUGHT PROVOKER mailing list.  Otherwise I post all new THOUGHT 
PROVOKERS upon my web site "ADJUSTMENT TO BLINDNESS  AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT" 
for all in the WWW to read and learn from.  In Addition, all past PROVOKERS 
are posted there and can be responded to as well.  I do insert commentary 
after some responses.  But more importantly know that I do not edit anyone's 
response other than run them through a spell checker and that's not perfect. 
Responses can be written to the Provoker itself or to the responses of 
others.  Think about it, if you feel that any response is not complete or 
does not fully convey the right philosophy, write in and give your feelings, 
provoke thought.  There again, if you do choose to respond on the comments 
of another, take issue with the content and not the person.

     For now it is optional to have your name and any other personal 
information placed with your response.  You write what you want us to know. 
I do feel giving your occupational status and/or location is important (your 
city, state or region and country).

    In regard to a definition of blindness, I am taking the broad view that 
blindness is any level of vision loss which is affecting the individual 
functionally, emotionally, socially, economically, politically, etc.

     If you feel this forum would be of value to another, pass the address 
on.  Additionally, if you no longer wish to receive Provokers, advise me of 
that fact and I will honor it.

    Finally, I give my permission to use this material to educate others. 
Do give credit back to the forum and the respondent.  Thank you.





Robert Leslie Newman
Email- newmanrl at cox.net
THOUGHT PROVOKER Website-
Http://www.thoughtprovoker.info
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