Walking in Darkness

Last year I had the "privilege" of experiencing blindness firsthand on a "sighted guide walk." I've had multiple opportunities to do this walk in the past but wasn't up to it until last year. I've always been afraid of experiencing Taylor's dark world first-hand for fear I'd slip into a depression of sorts that I had when she was first born.


The first part of this walk was to be blindfolded. The second the blindfold went on, my world changed. My sensitivities changed. My senses changed. I was using everything I could to make sense of the world around me. The shade felt so nice and cool, and the slightest bit of sun scorched. Cold-hot-cold-hot immediately! I also immediately tuned in to the voice that was to be my guide for this walk.

There were so many distractions all around...traffic, voices of other walkers and guides, children in the neighborhood, waterfalls, people working on their cars and homes for the weekend. You name it, it became "white noise," but I had to learn to tune into my guide's voice. I don't even remember her name, but I knew that voice within seconds. I knew my life would literally be in her hands for this walk.

After taking this walk and getting through the fears, the hesitations, the beauty of "THE voice," I started seeing how much this walk relates to walking daily through life. I was reminded immediately of how easy it is to be distracted by "white noise." You know, the stuff that isn't as important as we make it out to be. I was reminded of how easily I am afraid of what I don't understand. I was reminded of how much I try to do things by myself without asking for a helping hand.

Most of all, I realized how much I have to listen to THE VOICE. When I listened and trusted in her lead, in her guidance, I felt safe on that walk. Much is the same in my life. When I listen to Jesus in His Word, when I trust in His lead, His guidance, His plan and path, I feel safe. It's when I try to do it all without trusting Him or listening to Him that I get off track. I've got to listen to Him, trust in Him, and walk with Him each step of each day.