The Long Road Back

Have you ever been lost? Perhaps you took a wrong turn or missed an exit, and suddenly you were in unchartered territory with no internal compass to direct you. How do you get back on the path to your destination when you are so disoriented and navigating an unfamiliar landscape?

Life can change in an instant. Things come along and blindside you, and suddenly, with no warning, out of the blue, you are thrust into a life that is no longer recognizable.

It’s been 19 days since my journey was suddenly interrupted. In fact, it was more like a hijacking or maybe even one of those explosive events that leave your car burning in a tornado of fire by the side of the road as black smoke billows up to the heavens.

First, a delicious yet tragic irony. After being diagnosed with Stargardt Disease this year, it was entirely feasible that I would have ten years or more of vision before losing my sight and becoming legally blind. I could not entertain the possibility that it might happen sooner, so I just pushed it back and took minimal action in response to the news. But a few weeks ago, it was confirmed that it is moving faster into my central vision, so 2–4 years seems like a more realistic estimation. For an individual who experiences the world in a visceral way, the news is crushing. I am an English teacher, writer, film buff, book lover, world traveler, library…