Most of us born in the 1960's or earlier, are familiar to the tune...Three Blind Mice...Three Blind Mice...
SEE HOW THEY RUN....see how they run.....They all ran after the farmers wife...she cut off their tails with a carving knife...
Well I grew up with two younger brothers who in the eyes of my parents and many others could do no wrong...
Not that everything any two children did...or do is right...correct or worthy of praise.
I remember as small children along with the neighborhood children in our Alice Birney classrooms being taught that not all are born with the same ability we were told to make believe that we were totally blind.
We were of coarse sitting in our desks not standing or playing. I can remember thinking and saying out loud
"This is not much different than when my eyes are open!"
Everyone laughed! Even the teacher said: "Stephanie that is impossible!" And the comedy show continued!
It was comedy to everyone but me. I on the other hand from my perspective not able to physically see what others saw...being absolutely clueless what any one saw....I often wondered how do they know what I can see and what I could see not?
Then when Advent would begin each year we would all sing that song:
"DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE???? DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE??? A CHILD??? A CHILD SLEEPING IN THE NIGHT...."
I often wondered how is it that all of these must see what ever it is that I cannot see....Yet they do not seem to see me...? How is it they say: "Pretend that you cannot see my desk or yours...or the paper which you do your home work on." ? How is it they play make believe and laugh...
While I experience the same with my eyes open and my heart knows and sees much more than they may ever know.
On the school bus ride home some of the other children were still playing "Blind Games" many fell down like clowns because they were not paying attention...yet sometimes I would be the one to catch them...
That they not knock their own teeth out or down their own throat...I never received thank you's from them...
But from The Lord of Hosts.
Once home my brothers and neighbor children...gathered still laughing at all the "Blind Games" and the record or the cartoon on television would play: "Three Blind Mice...SEE HOW THEY RUN>>>>>>>>>>>>>"
They would walk or run behind one another with their arms extended pretending to be "Sleep Walking" or to be a "Ghost" like on "SCOOBY DOOBY DOooooooooosey" Our Mom would say adding to the play "The Blind leading the blind??"
I would say: "I do it all the time!" She would go on about her house work laughing hysterically hard....saying:
"Stephanie your going to be a comedian one day!" and I would say: "Why what's so funny?"
She would laugh even harder that she would have to make a MADdddddddd dash to the toilet...
She could really laugh but never hold her bladder.
No one wanted me on their ball team...a Blind catcher? Blind Pitcher or Batter?
Though no one recognized my physical blindness for what it was...
When it came to playing" Blind Games or Sleep Walking" I had life long daily minute by minute practice and I must say I had an unseen advantage!
No one ever noticed that playing these games I had no more accidents than any other time. In fact I had fewer because...I the blind had to lead the blind!
I became more cautious than usual. It amazes me looking back that not my mother nor anyone else ever "SAW WHAT I SAW ...or more importantly what I saw not!
I never "Got" what they did...they just seemed either so ridiculous...stupid or at times even retarded. For they used these very words to describe me... Yet how is it I had the sight of understanding....
I was accused of telling tall tales that I could be a Gilda Radner!
I am sure that even today these same adults would laugh no differently than they did 40+ years ago at me...
Saying: "You should be on Ed Sullivan Show" and later on....on "HEEEEEEEEeeeeee--HEEEE HAW HAW HAWwwwwwwwwww He-HAW!
I know that I could have kept them laughing better than Gilda Radner....with out telling big fibbers from a giant rocker....
AND THAT'S THE TRUTH!
SO HELP ME GOD!
EstherStephanada... Leading the Blind!
Imagine if you were completely blind...for the Word of GOD says the Blind shall see and the sighted be made blind...which shall you be at the end of all time?
