Top Five Blind People Perks

Oh yes, there are major drawbacks, but there are also major perks!

People open doors for us…a lot!

When I was completing my undergrad I had a couple classes every day, and almost every building and every lecture hall had two sets of doors. That's about four doors to get into every class and four doors out again. That means that I walked through a minimum of 16 doors a day. On any given day, I maybe opened one of them and I felt like a queen. I found it super sweet because I was usually carrying stuff and also working my guide dog.

A big furry bundle of joy comes with me everywhere I go.

She's more than just my guide dog. She's a magnet for conversation and always there for instant emotional support. I love her from her soft floppy ears to the tip of her constantly wagging tale. And that great big yellow ray of sunshine is with me all the time. You can't tell me you're not jealous. ;)

We navigate airports like bosses.

Seriously, travel with us, you won't regret it. Ground assistance picks the most direct route to the gate and fast-tracks us through all the lines. Then we get priority-boarding, and if we have a guide dog, we usually receive a bulkhead or window seat. Also, my traveler blind brother routinely gets bumped to first class. He has either perfected the woe-be-gone weary traveler look, or he sweet-talks all the flight attendants. (My bets on the sweet-talking).

We have tons of great gagets. >P>From talking watches to talking phones to programs that allow my computer to talk or a special little device that tells me what colours my clothes are, I am always basking in the glow of lots of the latest tech. It's always fun showing my friends or co-workers how everything works.

We listen attentively.

I do not buy into the theory that blind people have heightened senses, but I do believe that because we do not have sight, we pay extra attention to our other senses, most especially our ears. Because of this, I often hear things my friends miss such as the automated stops on the bus or the barista at Starbucks letting us know our order is ready.

And so many more!

You can always find plenty of silver linings if you look for them hard enough. Or, you could always get a guide dog and have them look for the silver linings for you!