Last week I was fortunate to be able to volunteer at the New England Blind and Visually Impaired Ski Festival (NEVI Fest) held at Sugarloaf. I've been a volunteer with Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation for the past several years and have had many, many touching and empowering days with incredibly courageous people. But being a part of the NEVI Fest seemed to take things to a whole different level - 30 intrepid, inspiring blind or visually impaired skiers and over 70 compassionate, dedicated volunteers. The energy of the group was deeply wonderful and participating was truly a life-changing experience. Here is my attempt at capturing some of the feelings/sensations of being a blind guide in alpine skiing:
Blind Faith
He softly holds my
arm, quietly
letting me know that
he trusts me.
He cannot see, has
never been able to,
and I am to be his
guide.
We are student and
teacher, both.
We walk out the door
and he patiently waits
while I set his skis
next to his feet.
We fumble for a bit,
but eventually
are ready to descend the first gentle
trail.
I take a breath and
gaze out over the valley,
silently acknowledging that
this view I so dearly
love,
that is ever-changing
with the seasons, the clouds,
and the light of the
sun,
is something he
cannot enjoy.
We start down the
slope as I carefully
call his turns,
the other guide
making sure that
all is well.
We find a tentative
rhythm and I see that
he sometimes fights
the hill,
hasn’t quite
internalized that
he is dancing with
the mountain
and that it is on his
side.
They are a team,
we all are.
I believe that I know
what he needs -
a blind faith of my
own.
And it starts to dawn
on me that he
seems to know that I
know.
We talk a bit, the
give and take
of teacher and
student, both.
I marvel at that
blind faith,
at the trust and the
courage that he,
one so young,
displays
as he does learn to feel the hill,
find his rhythm
and dance his very own
mountain dance.
I’m in awe as I again gaze
across my valley and
see the tips of the peaks
bathed in the light
of the low afternoon sun.
I feel a smile all
through my body
that is accompanied
by the sensations of
accomplishment and
deep gratitude.
I’m not blind, I can
see –
but it’s what I feel
as I realize that
I deserve the blind
faith
he has put in me.
Student and teacher,
both
sharing a faith in
each other
that actually
is not blind
at all.
Sarah Carlson
February 16, 2013
