Up till midway through my freshman year in high school, I attended the Indiana School for the Blind. One of the aims they constantly impressed on us-and which I didn’t take to heart at the time-was being prepared to interact well in the sighted, mainstream world. Life wasn’t going to remain centered around the 93 acres located at 7725 North College BLVD. in Indianapolis forever.
As such, physical ed.-gym class-was a constant part of the academic curricula (a three and a half semester requirement at the time) as was orientation and mobility. Of course, most public schools don’t put their students through such needed rigor, often requiring a semester or, a year, of physical education. And, when I transferred to Noblesville High School from which I graduated, gym class requirements were sadly waived for me.
Little did I know that such a waiver would have detrimental effect on my motivation to get in the game and go beyond the have-to’s secondary and college education. Sure, I participated in a few weeks of AAU wrestling and lifted weights with the boys’ swim team of which I helped as a student manager-and yes, I worked a paper route. But, physical education simply took a backseat. N wonder it took me till the second semester of my college years at Concordia-Seward to walk off campus into our beloved town apart from my roommate and friends’ assistance. No wonder when the intimations of people concerned about my well-being came my way, I let them override my drive to be physically on-the-go.
Only when I got into grad school, an internship in Connecticut, got a guide dog, and eventually moved to St. Louis did I fully embrace the urge to travel sidewalks, enjoy cooking, housecleaning, shopping, and the myriad other activities of everyday life. For me, living in my head and in my desires took centerstage instead of throwing myself headlong into the fray of work, socializing, and responsible upkeep.
Looking back, I reflect on the why behind the Indiana School for the Blind required-and I hope they still require-many hours of gym and mobility classes. As a reader of this blog and or knowing me personally, you’ve probably gotten the right idea I crave being engaged in all that life has to offer. Working out, writing, relocating to any number of places for a change of scenery, and interacting are all part of my daily bread. Yet, I wonder how much sooner and more completely such normal activities would’ve sunk in had gym class along with orientation and mobility been a part of my courseload throughout high school.
After all, a stoppage or stunting in physical fitness effects motivation and emotional growth as well. Many cognitive-behavioral psychologists will encourage clients to address the physical difficulties they face so as to clear better paths for addressing the results of mental illness or emotional distress. That has been a big motivator for me as I’ve wrestled the beast known as complex post-traumatic stress disorder.
Hence the reason for my passion that sports such as weightlifting, running, goalball, beep baseball, judo, or blind soccer be promoted in the blindness community and beyond. Yes, these endeavors are our football or basketball as far as participation goes. More than that, they instill in all of us a lifelong desire to be physically fit and mentally up for the challenges we well know await us at the workplace or further educational pursuits. When we embrace the role of heading up a family, being physically fit helps us embrace our leadership with joy and confidence.
I don’t know if State schools for the blind and special education divisions of public school districts require more than the usual hours of physical education for their blind and low-vision students. Here’s truly hoping they do. For along with embracing our confidence and boldness from a physical and active standpoint, we look forward to daily navigating whatever contours life has in store for us.
Boldly Blind 