Do you see what I’m saying?

I don’t think we talk enough about how much energy it takes to pretend you can see more than you actually can.
Laughing when everyone else laughs because you’re not quite sure what happened.
Nodding along when someone points and says, “It’s just over there.”
Pretending you’ve spotted the person waving at you.
Following everyone else because you haven’t actually got a clue where you’re going.
Not asking someone to read something because you don’t want to make a fuss.
Trying desperately to work out what you’re looking at before anyone realises you can’t see it.
I’ve done all of these.
Sometimes it’s easier in the moment to pretend you’ve seen something than explain that you haven’t.
But masking takes energy.
You’re constantly concentrating. Guessing. Filling in the gaps. Watching what everyone else is doing and using that information to work out what you can’t see.
And sometimes you don’t realise just how exhausting that is until you’re somewhere you don’t have to do it anymore.
These days I’m much more likely to just say, “I can’t see that.” And honestly, those four words save an incredible amount of energy. Vision impairment isn’t only about what you can and can’t see. Sometimes it’s about how hard you’re working to make sure nobody else notices

This is a copy of an article written by Sam Ralfe – known as Blind Mom – on Facebook. She speaks for the blind and visually impaired, covering the pitfalls and triumphs of daily life, as well as the odd serving of common sense. In her own words, she aims to break barriers in the hope of creating a more inclusive world.
As a visually compromised person, I find her writing refreshing, relevant and educational.
I hope you do, too.