The doctors called it unexplainable, and quite strange.

My mother and I called it a miracle.

CHILDHOOD

Growing up with a disability was rough to say the least. Being a blind child was confusing, not only to me, but to my young classmates and friends as well.

“Why did you get a different size paper than I did?”

“Why do you hold it up to your face like that?”

“Are you okay? Your eyes keep looking around everywhere.”

“Hey, are you even looking at me? I’m trying to talk to you.”

These questions come with having an issue like mine. But, I wouldn’t say that it’s an issue. I think it’s a blessing. But, seeing its perks were hard to do when I was young, especially when I was not old enough to understand why I can’t see.

The problems didn’t only arise in the classroom, but with my family as well. From simply playing with legos with my brother to helping my mom clean, there was definitely still quite a struggle. Being the only blind kid in my family with three other completely normal siblings isn’t exactly easy.

“Hey, look! Do you see that deer? He’s right in between the trees there,” My dad said excitedly as he pointed somewhere out the windshield.

My siblings all leaned towards their windows in the car to try and get a better look. I followed along, gazing out into the vast forest where my dad had spotted the deer. But I came up short as I realized it was all just a blur past the first tree. I sunk back into my seat, defeated, embarrassed and confused as my sisters continued to point and laugh at something that I would probably never get the chance to see up close.

THE MIRACLE

No registered vision. Those were the words that the doctors had spoken to my parents when I was born. There seemed to be no chance of me ever being able to see; not even a little. Thats why the doctors were so shocked when I was brought back five months later for a check-up.

It came by surprise to not only to the doctors, but my entire family. The doctors announced that the impossible had happened; I could see. Not completely clearly, of course. But I could see blurs of people, and would even be able to read.

My parents thanked God every single day for this miraculous gift that He had given us. They truly believed that it had happened because they had prayed each and every day since the day I was born for me to be able to have vision. It strengthened my entire family’s belief in God. It gave us faith.

My belief in God has helped me cope with my visual impairment. He gives me strength. He gives me something to fight for and something to lean on when I’m feeling alone or lost. My faith is my rock and my one thing to turn to in a time of need.

. . .

The routine was the same every single day. Wake up. Go to school. Stay on the same path through my classes so I don’t get confused. Sit in the front row in every class so I can attempt to take notes off of the board. Tap my classmate on the shoulder and ask him to tell me what that one word is that just seems too far away for me to be able to read. Repeat.

I wouldn’t exactly be able to tell you how blind I am. I have nothing to compare it to, all I know is that is has improved. Some days are worse than others; my vision is supposed to be stable. But I’ve learned how to navigate around school, around my house, anywhere. I’ve taught myself where to walk, where not to walk, what to avoid, which staircase to go up, how many stairs I have to walk up. It’s complicated, but I make it work so I can go about my school day with ease.

But every so often, I had a change in my daily routine. An embarrassing situation, like accidently saying hi to someone in the hallway who I thought I knew- but realized, as soon as they got close enough that I could see their face somewhat more clearly, that I had absolutely no idea who they were. And based off the look on their now in-focus faces, had no idea who I was, nor did they care.

Or, being able to get a chance to do what I loved, what I had a passion for. I discovered my love for photography a few years back. It wasn’t just a hobby to me. It was a revelation, a beacon of hope. I looked through that camera lens and suddenly everything came into focus; I could see a bird up in the tree branches, or the clear face of my mom or sister. I could finally see every little detail.

I didn’t see my blindness as a road block. I didn’t let me being visually impaired stop me from achieving my goals. Besides my vision, I think it made everything more clear for me. I payed more attention to everyone’s conversations in the hallways. I could tell people’s facial expressions just by the tone of their voices. Even though I was blind, I believe that I could see things more clearly than anybody else.

Each year, the American Printing House for the Blind polls each state for data on the number of legally blind children (through age 21) enrolled in elementary and high school in the U.S. eligible to receive free reading matter in Braille, large print, or audio format. This is used to develop federal funds to be spent in each state for material in each alternative format so that they can make school less of a challenge for blind children. There are approximately 60,393 legally blind students in the U.S.