My new found herd, moooooooooooooo!

When you are dealing with any of life’s hardships, you need a herd.  A herd is a group of people who are in varying stages of what you are going through. They are seasoned veterans, newbies and everything in between.  You have to have a group of people (or at least I have found this to be true for me) that you can identify with.  I have to have people I can call and say “It sucks to have low vision” and not have that person tell me I need a better attitude, or pray more, or eat more herbs, or find a solution for it.  I need someone who can say “You are right, it sucks, but it does get better”, “there is light at the end of the tunnel and I have travelled it and know it to be true”.  There are certain human conditions where pat answers don’t cut it.  I don’t need better “chi”, or to organize a Zen garden, I need to know that when I come out the other side of this there isn’t just despair and loss.  I mean honestly, would you tell a marathon runner who is in their last mile to “get a better attitude”?  No, you would tell them that you can see the finish line and that you know that they can make it, that they trained for this and to not quit now.  Sometimes we are so focused on the here and now we can’t see that there is an end point, that there is a finish line.  You really feel like you are going to be running for the rest of your life, and you just might die from effort.  The herd has the effect of encouraging you to keep going, and when you are tired and down they tuck you into the herd and protect you. When you feel safe, loved, accepted, understood, and supported; you have found your herd. My new herd is one comprised of low vision and blind individuals that understand what I am going through can encourage me in the process, and who have blazed the trail before me. Thank you to all those who have gone before me and have made my journey enjoyable, I couldn’t have done it without you!