Eyes That See Beyond The Tangible
It warms my heart each time I meet and befriend a new “Woman on the Move” because we share the some of the same philosophies on disabilities and especially those involving sight loss. Today I am honored to present to you the brilliantly talented Tosha Michelle of the blog, Everything I Never Told You. Tosha is a published author, poetess, singer and advocate. She is also one of the most grounded people you will ever meet.
Hello everyone. My thanks to Stephanie for inviting me to do this guest post.
My vision issues began at birth. I was born premature and this caused damage to my optic nerve. I’m on the cusp of being legally blind without my glasses, with my glasses, my vision is 20’/80. As a child, I never really understood that my vision was poor. After all, it was the only vision I had known. Throughout my formative years and even into highschool. I had a lovely visual aid teacher who worked with me to insure I had the tools I needed to succeed in school and succeed I did.
I am unable to drive a car. This was a source of great sadness to me as a teenager. Who doesn’t want the freedom that comes with a set of wheels?:) Over the years, I’ve learned to accommodate by walking when I can and by the support of my family and friends.
Being visually impaired hasn’t stopped me from getting a college education, working, and having a family. I can do anything a sighted person can do, it just might take me a little longer. I’m really blessed with the sight I do have. I can’t tell you how inspiring women like Stephanie are to me. As I mentioned, I’ve never been able to see well. I don’t know what I’m missing. When I read Stephanie story, I was so impressed with her tenacity and spirit. I can’t imagine going from being a slighted person to losing your vision. However, Stephanie knows as I do, that being visually impaired is not a death sentence. It’s simply a matter of adjusting to a new way of being. It’s seeing the world through new eyes, eyes that are every bit as beautiful as before but eyes that know adversity, eyes that see beyond the tangible and find light in humanity, compassion and self-worth.
To learn more about Tosha you can connect with her on the following social media platforms: