Introduction
There are instances in life that make us appreciate our abilities, and their effects on how we manage to perform our duties and appreciate our environment on a daily basis. The gift of sight is arguably the most pivotal when it comes to accomplishing these tasks. Evidence of this sentiment can be deduced from a class experiment we were recently instructed to conduct. In this particular experiment, we were instructed to form groups of two people.
One member would be blindfolded and the other member would act as a guide to direct the blindfolded person around the school vicinity. Once the experiment was over, we were expected to interchange these roles and redo the experiment again, to ensure that each member had a chance to experience the situation individually. This report shall set out to narrate how the experience was for me as a blindfolded party as well as the guide. The issues that arose during the experiment shall also be provided.
Main Body
As the experiment begins, my partner blindfolds me and directs my left arm to his right shoulder. As we start walking through the predetermined route, I feel lost in a dark abyss and a strong sense of fear for the unknown starts creeping in. the situation is made less threatening as I hear fellow students talking to each other as well as the voice of my partner giving me directions on how to maneuver various obstacles in my path.
As we walk, I develop this deep urge to remove the blindfold and just see where I am heading to. However, I opt to trust my partner and use my other senses to get a feel of where we are going. This proves to be challenging because my partner does not give me details on where we are or where we are going. As such, I am forced to guess and logically deduce our location from the sounds I hear, the smells and to some extent what I feel with my arm.
I have to say that I have a new found respect for those people who go on with their lives devoid of sight. This is attributed to the fact that as we walk around the school, I am in constant fear that I might nock something down, be knocked down, collide with an object or person, or become a victim of a surprise attack. In as much as my partner’s voice assures my safety and protection, the sense of exposure to danger runs deep within my nerves and my whole being.
All this while, I can feel the warmth of the sun penetrating through my skin, the whirling of the wind as we pass near trees and the coldness of metallic rails as we step down or up a staircase. The most amazing fact is that even after following the directions given, I cannot tell where we are. In most occasions, my partner instructs me to turn left of right or to climb up or down a staircase. Even with these specific instructions, I still feel lost and have no clue of where we are heading.
After a while, my partner instructs me to let go of his shoulder and follow his voice. At first I am reluctant but he assures me that he will be close and in constant communication with me. However, I oblige and follow his voice as much as I can. In some instances, his voice is drowned by the whistling of the wind or by other student’s voices. This confuses me and as a reflex, I try to walk faster so that I can catch up with his voice.
Whenever he tells me to turn, my body reacts in an unnatural and stiff manner just like a robot. Despite these challenges, I can feel the atmospheric changes and the sudden coolness which indicates that we are inside a building. I quickly tell my partner that we have crossed the school plaza because of the sudden increase in noise which is highly characteristic of the plaza. After a short walk I can hear the splashing of the water indicative of the swimming pool and the softness of the lawns as the grass brushes over my trouser. The exercise comes at an end after we cross the bridge. The feeling of relief and peace that comes after my eyes are unfolded is yet to be matched.
My role as a guide seems to be pleasant but tricky. As I direct my partner through the path, I can feel his discomfort from his firm grip as he holds my arm. As such, I try my best to direct him safely and reassure him that he is in good hands. I feel responsible for him and do everything possible to ensure that he does not get distracted or come into contact with any dangerous objects. In as much as I act as his eyes, I share the worry that comes with being unsure of what is happening around him.
Conclusion
Conclusively, the experiment is an “eye opener”. In most cases, we undermine our gifts and abilities. However, such experiments put things in perspective and help us understand the difficulties that the less fortunate have to endure on a daily basis. The experiment ran for an average of thirty minutes and it was unbearable. On the other hand, there are people who experience this situation on a daily basis and have learnt how to cope with their inability to see. This calls for much appreciation for them and their coping mechanism because being blind is not as easy as they make it seem.