An Eye For An Eye
The video of a shodan test from last year's USAF Summer Camp had people talking for a while. It was a marvelous, spirited test. For most people, the most intriguing part is that this young lady from Boston, Sally, is seriously visually impaired. Yet, she did much better than a lot of seeing people. The applause at the conclusion of her randori (random attack by multiple attackers) kept going on like thunder for a good while
I watched her practice before the test. Sometimes she acted as if she was ahead of her attackers. "Maybe because I can't see, I am quite aware of having people behind me," explained Sally. To tighten up her test, for a change, the instructor had to tell the seeing attackers to attack her more promptly lest Sally had to idle and wait.
Sally was not the only participant this year who is visually impaired. On the mat, there was also a gentleman from Toronto who is blind. His name is Delano.
Because of my connection with his teacher, I had the opportunity to practice with Delano quite a few times. He had not been practicing for long, but he had attained quite a good level for his time in. He was always very focused and was very attentive to every detail. It was really pleasant to practice with someone like him.
Off the mat, I got to chat with Delano a bit. He told me he was born seeing. "I lost my eyesight when I was about five. I was sitting at a desk with a younger kid who was making a mess. As the older kid, I tried to get him to behave. He got mad. So, he grabbed a pencil and stabbed me in the eye." The one eye got infected. With time, it developed more and more serious issues. Somehow, the other eye also started having problems. Before he became a teenager, he totally lost his vision in both eyes.
"You remember what it was like to be seeing. Are you angry with that kid?" I asked. What I got was a smile and a gentle answer, "No, I have never been angry with him. He didn't know." Delano is always so amazingly calm and even in his demeanors. "It's true that I lost my eyesight, but I am fine."
He went on to tell me about his work, his interests and his life in general. Apart from the fact that he sometimes does need seeing people's help on certain things, it really does not sound like he misses out on anything. "How would I respond if that were to happen to me?" I could not help asking myself. I had a vitreol detachment about a month ago which resulted in a giant floater that obstructs my field of vision in one eye. The inconvenience is already annoying enough. I cannot imagine losing my eyesight altogether.
And then, to hold no grudges. That probably is the most difficult part, particularly when you know what seeing means. Yet, you look at my two young friends, they are both cheerful and positive people who take life in stride. Their disability does not seem to be able to hold them back.
I like to go to Summer Camp to see my friends and learn from our teachers. It is fun and educational. When I run into special people like Sally and Delano, the whole camp experience just becomes extra inspirational. Through the non-seeing eyes of my fellow Aikido students, I learnt to see life a little differently . . .
I watched her practice before the test. Sometimes she acted as if she was ahead of her attackers. "Maybe because I can't see, I am quite aware of having people behind me," explained Sally. To tighten up her test, for a change, the instructor had to tell the seeing attackers to attack her more promptly lest Sally had to idle and wait.
Sally was not the only participant this year who is visually impaired. On the mat, there was also a gentleman from Toronto who is blind. His name is Delano.
Because of my connection with his teacher, I had the opportunity to practice with Delano quite a few times. He had not been practicing for long, but he had attained quite a good level for his time in. He was always very focused and was very attentive to every detail. It was really pleasant to practice with someone like him.
Off the mat, I got to chat with Delano a bit. He told me he was born seeing. "I lost my eyesight when I was about five. I was sitting at a desk with a younger kid who was making a mess. As the older kid, I tried to get him to behave. He got mad. So, he grabbed a pencil and stabbed me in the eye." The one eye got infected. With time, it developed more and more serious issues. Somehow, the other eye also started having problems. Before he became a teenager, he totally lost his vision in both eyes.
"You remember what it was like to be seeing. Are you angry with that kid?" I asked. What I got was a smile and a gentle answer, "No, I have never been angry with him. He didn't know." Delano is always so amazingly calm and even in his demeanors. "It's true that I lost my eyesight, but I am fine."
He went on to tell me about his work, his interests and his life in general. Apart from the fact that he sometimes does need seeing people's help on certain things, it really does not sound like he misses out on anything. "How would I respond if that were to happen to me?" I could not help asking myself. I had a vitreol detachment about a month ago which resulted in a giant floater that obstructs my field of vision in one eye. The inconvenience is already annoying enough. I cannot imagine losing my eyesight altogether.
And then, to hold no grudges. That probably is the most difficult part, particularly when you know what seeing means. Yet, you look at my two young friends, they are both cheerful and positive people who take life in stride. Their disability does not seem to be able to hold them back.
I like to go to Summer Camp to see my friends and learn from our teachers. It is fun and educational. When I run into special people like Sally and Delano, the whole camp experience just becomes extra inspirational. Through the non-seeing eyes of my fellow Aikido students, I learnt to see life a little differently . . .
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