In a world that can sometimes seem chaotic, World Kindness Day on November 13th,  reminds us of the power of compassion. At some point, we’ve all learned from one of Aesop’s fables that, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Small acts of kindness positively impact individuals and communities. The ripple effect can be significant.

Everyone has an opportunity to be kind. You can make a difference in your own way in your own niches of family, friends, and colleagues. At RealThing, inclusivity is something we value, especially for those experiencing disabilities and sight loss. This World Kindness Day, why not challenge yourself to commit a small act of kindness and connect with someone who has special needs. It can be as easy as starting with a simple, “Hello.”

To Someone Who’s Visually Impaired

When you’re sighted, it’s easy to forget that blind and partially sighted people miss out on a lot of social ques and gestures. No, we don’t know you’re waving, “Hello” from across the street, or across the room, or even across the table. Most people with low vision won’t see you smiling or nodding your head in a friendly greeting. If you say, ‘Hi,’ and we haven’t spent a lot of time with you, we’ll say, ‘Hello,’ back. But we frequently have no idea who we’ve just spoken to; we haven’t had a chance to memorize the sound of the voice connected to the person. It can be very isolating to be around a lot of people and not be able to see faces and gestures.

I guarantee, you’ll make a difference in someone’s day with a greeting like, “Hello. How are you? it’s Jessica, from when you were walking with your guide dog at the park yesterday.” Or “Nice to see you again. It’s Bob from the bus stop. Have a good day at work.” Or “Hey. It’s Helen again, I rang up your groceries last week. How are you today?”

To Someone Who’s Deaf or Hard of Hearing

It’s not just visually impaired people who miss out on friendly gestures. It can be very isolating for deaf and hard of hearing people. At the very least it might be like being in a foreign country and not knowing the language. It would be a challenge to function without being able to interact with others.

If there’s someone in your circle or community who’s hard of hearing, it would be wonderful if you could learn to say a few things in sign language. Basic things that aren’t difficult like, “How are you?” And “Have a good day.” And “Thank you,” or “You’re welcome.”

There are also apps that could transcribe as you speak and will let them type a response to you. You can text back and forth or just use paper and pencil to communicate. Just take a minute from time to time to interact with them.

If you’re someone who’s visually impaired trying to communicate with someone hard of hearing, you’ll have to be creative. But it is possible, I am legally blind, and I communicate with my brother who is totally deaf.

To Someone with Other Disabilities

Other individuals with disabilities, people who use mobility aids like wheelchairs, people who have difficulty speaking, moving, or have cognitive challenges, are often overlooked. Many times, it’s easy for society to have a dismissive or unpleasant attitude towards disability. People don’t realize that they’re staring impolitely when someone can’t speak properly or has unusual uncontrolled movements. Often misunderstood, it can be extremely isolating for them as well.

It’s not hard to courteously move aside to let the wheelchair through, but it’s quite another matter to connect with someone so different from oneself. You can overcome that discomfort with kindness. Start with something simple, just a friendly wave or a cheerful smile.

The Ripple Effect

Saying, “Hello” might seem incredibly inconsequential at the moment, but kindness has the potential to create a ripple that can move mountains. Your kind greeting might be observed by another person, and they in turn also do something kind. You might unknowingly be an example to a young person who might be inspired to volunteer for a helpful organization. You might give someone the confidence to do something they didn’t think they could. Or you could just be making somebody’s day and that alone is worth the trouble.

Happy World Kindness Day from the RealSAM Team!

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Staying Connected with Technology

One way to stay connected is through social media. On platforms like YouTube and Facebook, people can meet others who are experiencing similar challenges dealing with their visual impairment. They can also connect with friends and family, join groups with common interests and follow news and events. Using screen readers or text-to-speech software, visually impaired people can easily navigate these platforms and stay in touch.

Another way to stay connected is through audio and video conferencing. Applications such as Zoom and Skype offer an easy and accessible way to talk to distant family members and friends.
Going out can be challenging, but by using visual interpretation services and apps designed specifically for navigation, people with visual impairments have new ways to navigate their surroundings. Be My Eyes, for example, is a free app that connects visually impaired people with sighted volunteers who can assist them by describing their surroundings and identifying signs and buildings.

Connecting with Local Communities and Organizations for the Blind and Visually Impaired

A great way to get connected is by attending local events and activities by organizations supporting blind and visually impaired people. These can be online meetings, social events at activity centers or exciting group outings. The Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired in your state is a good place to get information about groups and programs near you. 

Staying Connected through Books

When going out isn’t an option, reading books is the perfect remedy. Books keep people connected to the world by providing knowledge and entertainment. Reading stimulates the imagination by taking readers on an exciting adventure or allowing them to see the world through the lives and actions of characters. For people with visual impairments, this is possible through the National Library Service run by the Library of Congress. NLS offers books in a variety of formats, including Braille, USB sticks and digital downloads. 

Through technology, community support and reading books, people with visual impairment can overcome the barriers of social isolation and make meaningful connections.

By Guenivir Kendrick with help from ChatGPT

References:

Be My Eyes. (n.d.). Be my eyes – see the world together. Be My Eyes – See the world together. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://www.bemyeyes.com/#:~:text=Be%20My%20Eyes%20is%20a,people%20lead%20more%20independent%20lives.  

NLS. (2023, March 23). NLS at the Library of Congress. National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://www.loc.gov/nls/#:~:text=National%20Library%20Service%20(NLS)%20is,from%20using%20regular%20print%20materials.

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