macular degeneration, macular, diagnosis Each One, Teach One – My Macular Degeneration Journey/Journal

Each One, Teach One

Ever heard of “each one, teach one”? According to Wikipedia this phrase started out as a ‘policy’ among slaves in America. If you as a black could read it was your obligation to teach others. Frank Laubach (a local boy by the way) used it in his campaign to increase literacy worldwide.

“Each one teach one” is a way to spread knowledge from the grass-roots.

From my interactions here and from a Facebook post Lin shared, I think we need to do the same thing for knowledge of age-related macular degeneration.

My yogini’s mother gave me a ride last week. She is a very nice person about my age. She sincerely commented it was sad I had gotten such a “rare” eye condition.

“Rare”?!? She was shocked when I told her our number is legion (makes us sound a little demonic; doesn’t it??) and that AMD is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world. She had never heard of AMD until I was stricken.

One of the Facebook people expressed concern about people posting signs, etc., without any consideration for the low vision folks. She really thought these people needed education!

Which brings me to another quote. “If not you, who? If not now, when?” That one has been hijacked by several American politicians but an original version is credited to Hillel the Elder (and who said my pages are not educational?!?). [The original quote from Hillel the Elder was “If I am not for myself who is for me? And being for my own self, what am ‘I’? And if not now, when?”]

As I am sure you understand, it means people need to take personal responsibility and make a difference in the world. And we need to do it now.

I would ask each and every one of you to teach one, or two or three about our shared condition. Talk to your neighbors, your colleagues, the people at your place of worship. Especially talk to your children and grandchildren.  AMD has a hereditary connection and while I suspect they will have either a cure or strong preventative measures within my life time, susceptible people  still need to know the symptoms and be alert.

Get the word out. Focus attention on AMD every chance you get. Don’t be ashamed you are visually impaired. Use your condition to help others learn. Each one teach one today.

Next: monday, monday

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