Saturday, February 07, 2009

Dialog in the Dark

Today I went with some friends to experience "Dialog in the Dark." It was rather interesting and I have a few thoughts on the exhibit. Your group is taken around by a guide, who is visually impaired. You go through simulation scenes with a walking stick, experiencing "daily life" as if you're blind. My favorite scene was the market. You walk around the counter and smell fruit, soap, coffee beans, etc. We also went around a 'park', on a 'boat', and on a 'city street.' The city street scared me the most because I didn't have the wall to hang on to! I was basically in the middle of this room scared that our guide was going to leave me!

It was very scary to be walking around in the dark. First of all.. I hate the dark... and I've seen one too many scary movies that I constantly think something's going to jump out and grab me. Nothing did of course, but I hate that feeling!

I cannot imagine how it would be to have perfectly good use of all of your senses and then to suddenly lose one and have to adapt accordingly. Take my friend Crystal for instance: in high school Crystal ran track, was a cheerleader, etc. After her senior year she was in a car accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. She uses a wheelchair for every mobility, but she gets around. She is seriously the most amazing person I have ever met in my life.

Another thing I use to compare a lot to lately is that kleenex commercial with the mom, where she's going around "touch" "touch" "touch" ... then she touches the kleenex and says "feel." It made me appreciate the feelings of seeing the world around me. There's so much I take for granted that I definitely need to thank God for!!

Have a wonderful Sunday, everyone!

1 comment:

MJW said...

I'm with you on the dark thing too. Thanks for sharing your experience! :)