I do not do well with downtime. Consequently, today saw me doing a little work for work, a bit of simple cooking (gasp! I also ate my own cooking and lived to tell about it. Go figure.?), some digging for things to give to the yard sale, laundry, dishes…..get me out of here!!!!
I need a sunny day to get out and DO something. Last year – or was it the year before? No matter – I wrote some about all the really fun things you can still do with visual impairment. My top two loves are dancing and yoga. I also kayak, swim, walk the dogs and bike in summer.
Three years after losing my first eye and 2 ½ years after losing central vision in my second eye, I can still do the things I love. Go into this visually impaired thing in good shape and there is no reason you cannot maintain an active lifestyle. Go into it in bad shape and life changes with visual impairment may give you time to get into better shape. It is up to you.
Not only do you get in better shape, you also keep an active mind and make all sorts of friends, or at least very positive contacts with acquaintances. Case in point: my yogini is having an evening session in the park in a few days. Since my transportation turns back into a pumpkin in the evening, I told her I would be there if I could find a way home. A woman I know only slightly spoke up and volunteered to take me home. Consequently, I am doing outside yoga!!! ?
Don’t like yoga? Two left feet when you dance? (But remember how Pacino tangoes in Scent of a Woman? That was one, ‘blind’ man who could dance.) Would you like to row a boat? That is backward anyway. Or how about bowling?
According to VisionAware there are enough blind and visually handicapped bowlers, they have their own national organization, the American Blind Bowlers Association. They bowl either using a sighted guide or a guide rail. The guide rail is the only adaption to the lane. There are no bumpers like you may have used when you were small. Balls may be bright colors to add contrast. Callers let you know about that nasty split you have to pick up for the spare.
How about golf? The United States Blind Golfers Association has a catchy motto: “You don’t have to see it to tee it”. Cute, huh? Sighted coaches are used to help the visually impaired golfer line up his shots. There are different categories depending upon the degree of sight loss.
Not ready for the tournament circuit? How about mini golf? Mark Riccobono wrote a nice article about introducing visually impaired children to the sport. He has several good pointers that should apply to everyone.
Other suggestions? Horseback riding. How about hula hooping? I have a weighed one – hula hoop, not a horse – that stays up much more easily than those we played with as kids.
To summarize, if you are used to an active lifestyle, there is no reason you cannot continue it with a visual impairment. To quote your mother “Now go out and play!”
Written June 10th, 2018