Think of the idea of a circle of friends. Most people can picture or imagine that. But, if you are blind, the idea of circle means nothing unless someone has introduced you to that shape physically and explained what it means. I did understand this and I knew that I was not in a circle of friends.

All through the first twelve years of school, I was an outsider. I was put in a special class. I was not taught the same things other students were taught. It was as if being blind meant that I had no brain and no feelings. Perhaps the teachers were never exposed to blindness before me. I can understand that but at least they could have tried to work with me. Instead, I think they were afraid of me so it was easier to have me out of sight. Of course, that meant that I didn’t have friends my age. Think of it…no education, no friends so what comes next, no future?

Some of my teachers and my guidance counselors told me that I would never go to college; that I couldn’t do it. Well, I made it out of the 12th grade and then, with great investigation on the part of my mother, we found MIRA and the people there treated me as someone who was capable and could learn things well enough to try for a guide dog.

I worked my butt off to learn what I had to learn in Orientation and Mobility. I could say that my white cane was on fire as I kept learning the things I needed in order to get a guide dog. Well, MIRA accepted me and I trained harder than I could ever imagine with Martin. We worked ever day, every hour for four long weeks.

Yes, it was exhausting but it was great. I was learning and I was doing things right because Martin followed my commands. At the end of the month, I felt like I was the person I could have been before, but now it was even better. No more white care to keep people away; no more bumping into things and scaring people by accidentally hitting them. No more people telling me I wasn’t able to learn things. I had Martin and he listened to me and I listened to him. We were a team setting out into my new world.

Now I am in college and doing well in my classes. I have a lot to learn since much of my education before was missing but I’m working at it and I’m proud of what I am doing. I am majoring in Education and hope to work in Early Childhood Education.

Remember that circle of friends I wrote about earlier? Well, I am in a circle of friends now. Martin helps with that. People think he is quite handsome and of course he is. I hang out with friends and it is fun to be part of this world. And, Martin and I were in the lead car in our local parade and our picture is on the front cover of our public phone book. That is pretty neat.

I owe this all to MIRA who had faith in me and of course, to Martin, my very best pal who has helped me find this great new world I now live in.