Boy, I think this video is going to be "insightful."
[swoosh] [music plays]
So this question has come up lately and it's quite a popular one.
When I learned other people were sighted, did I never not believe it?
It's a strange a question that one. I mean,
you know, when I was little I don't think I remember a time
going, "you know, I think this is all
make believe.
make believe," because when you're 3, 4, 5 years old you're not
really a critical thinker yet.
But it was always kind of the way it always was. People, everybody could see and I
couldn't and that was just my world.
That was my normal. Honestly, I don't think I remember
anybody kind of explaining to me what sight was.
My sisters all could do it. My parents could do it. Everybody I knew could do it.
Like, I didn't know a blind people. You know, it was just me.
But I never thought it was a big deal.
I just thought that was the way the world was, you know.
This is my family, you know. This is my parents
and my sisters and stuff. I mean, of all the people in the world, right,
these are the least likely to sort of pull a trick on me
I would think. They tried to tell me other things
when I was little. My sisters tried to tell me I was a girl.
Yeah, I know. And I didn't ah...
I was like, "I don't think so."
[music plays]
I think the thing that I couldn't believe was that I was the only blind person
in my world. That was the thing that
sort of --- you know, because everybody could see and I sort of knew
everybody could see. You know, because they could do things like catch balls
that were coming to them and no one needed to be told.
Or my sisters would walk to the store without a cane or without anything.
You know, they could just walk by themselves. For me,
I had to hold on to somebody to walk to the store. You know, they could catch a ball,
they could ride bikes. You know, they all taught me how to ride a bike.
But, you know, I couldn't do it like they did. I was always
bumping into stuff. It didn't seem like anybody ever did.
There was no reason, as far as I was concerned to not believe it.
Everybody could see and I knew it. [music continues]
Boy I must have found out that I was different
probably 4 or 5 or 6 - somewhere in there. Probably 4 or 5.
When I started being with other kids. I went to nursery school.
You know, sort of like a day care, when I was 4.
And I think that's when I really got to know I was a little bit different
from everybody else and that I was had to be taken care of a little bit
differently and watched after a little bit more.
You know, so I didn't get hurt. You know, that's when I think I started
to get it. And then of course, you know, as I got into grammar school
they were all doing stuff on the blackboard and I was
doing everything in Braille. So then I really knew.
It's a crazy question.
[music plays] Somebody asked me, "if I would know
I was blind if no one told me?"
That's an interesting question. That depends.
Am I growing up completely alone?
Or am I growing up in the world? Because if I'm completely alone
then no I don't I would. You know, as you grow up
and you get older and you start to learn about the world
you start to understand the differences between people
and everybody around you can see. I think
you'd figure out pretty quickly that you couldn't.
And I think all the bumps and bruises would give it away too.
[music continues]
When I was growing up I think I did ask a lot of questions about sight.
I mean, I think I was curious about it.
And I think I was more angry really. I think I was more upset that I couldn't see.
Because there were things that I couldn't do that the other kids could do.
I mean, there was a long time in my life, honestly, where I thought
if I could see it would make everything better.
All my problems would go away if I could see.
And it took me a long time to sort of figure that out
but that wouldn't really be the case.
If I could see I'd have different problems. That's all.
Problems I can't even imagine. Problems I don't know what they would be.
But they'd be different than the ones I have now.
What the heck would I make videos about?
[music plays]
When I first heard this question I was surprised.
I mean, it was so obvious to me. I mean, this is what I deal with my whole life.
But you guys don't know.
You guys don't know how I grow up or what I do or anything.
Then it made me actually start to think about it
and try and answer it for you. Boy, if you guys have any other questions
that are going to make my head spin. Why don't you leave them in the comments here?
[laughs] I do my best to answer them
in an upcoming video.