Long time no-posts, what’s going on Riding Blind Blog?
To be 100% honest, for the last few weeks I was reluctant to add onto this blog for several reasons. It was created to be a source for positively channeling energy, ideas, interests and projects while negotiating vision loss.
It was not intended to be a journal, a source of me-me-me ‘naval gazing’ story telling or long descriptions of difficulties. Discussions of challenges, sure, but stories of complaints, what reader wants that and what does it contribute by existing on the internet?
As always, I do not offer, or presume to provide, insightful answers to problems, or revolutionary ideas. Mostly I ask questions aloud in hopes of inspiring discussion on related topics, who knows, one day possibly even being able to provide a fairly coherent answer to those questions.
Before the question, some context. The main reason for my lack of activity with this blog was an allergic reaction to my glaucoma eye-drops. After experiencing eye irritation similar to dry-eye syndrome, it became stronger, and more severe. Without going into too much detail, it was a miserable experience. If you are really curious about it, or have experienced it similarly, feel free to post a question or comment below. But basically, it was mind-blowing to discover that the medicine I thought was helping me (at significant expense) was making life miserable. Having a doctor confidently claim it to be the main cause of irritation was a welcome relief.
I imagine that in any difficult situation, having someone in a position of authority proclaim to have an answer to the problem, and to do so with confidence, is one of the greatest sources of relief. Indeed, after hearing this news, I did proceed to celebrate by picking up a bottle of bourbon i’d wanted to try for a long time.
Unfortunately, I leave the experience with a not-scientifically measured, but down-to my core sense that my poor vision has taken another hit, gotten worse and altered circumstances again.
Which brings us to the question in the title to which I am exploring? How does one best deal with challenges, negotiate a situation,or plan for the future when the goal posts, or parameters keep changing? Typically these challenges are growing; I believe you also assumed this because if the challenges were getting smaller, that would be either incredibly motivating, or possibly even boring)?
For certain, mental fortitude is a must. The ability to take repeated blows and strive on is incredibly admirable. But unlike Superhero films, there are limits to how much and how often you can ride these out, grunt, get up, and prepare for another.
Circumstances change, significant new challenges can make past challenges look farcically easy. Or a small new challenge could become just one too many. Things would probably be too easy in life if its parameters could be easily contained and measured. Things do not work that way, so as things shift, change or meander forward, I salute everyone who reads this with the challenges you face, whatever they may be.
Riding Blind 