Friday, July 9, 2010

Storytelling and Blindness:
Overcoming the Separation


I have never seen my friend Sarah Blake. For one thing, she lives faraway in another state. But, if we could meet face-to-face, which we almost did two years ago, she would still not be able to “see” me. For although I have regained my eyesight, Sarah has not.

In some ways it doesn’t matter that we have never laid eyes upon one another. Sarah is one of my “best friends.” How can I possibly know that for sure? Of course, it’s the stories we’ve been telling each other for years now, around seven, I think.

Sarah and I have told one another stories about losing sight and regaining it. Stories about being blind. Stories about working with people. (I am so proud of my friend Sarah as she has recently become an “almost” ordained minister.) We have also shared stories, simply about day-to-day life, relationships with family members and men!

Sarah has listened to my stories of not knowing how “to be” in the world. The challenges I’ve experienced when faced with the --

“Pleased to see you, again. What have you been doing in your career the past few years? Oh, you’ve been being blind? Well how is your new book coming along?”

If you value the overcoming of human separation, I hope you have a “Sarah Blake” in your life. I’m so glad I do. People like Sarah in my life are the gifts that are helping me take off the 1,000 masks I wear.

With love to Sarah from Anastasia

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