On the journey together
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At the RNZFB, we aim to inspire and empower our members to seek a fair go for themselves. So we love hearing from our members who have leapt at opportunities to learn new skills and discover themselves. Here's an inspirational tale told by member Penny Gray on how she came to believe in herself again.
"Returning home from a RNZFB kayaking trip on the Abel Tasman, I felt a welling up of gratitude to all the people who enable these events to take place.
About 11 years ago when my sight began diminishing, it became apparent that I needed more help to get on with my daily life – I had to learn how to use a white cane, learn computer skills and how to cope with huge life changing events.
I had given up nursing, my husband was made redundant and my father and brother were killed by a sleeping truck driver all within a couple of years. I felt like a broken woman.
I gave the impression I was fine, but one can only take so much of people projecting their well-meaning pity. These attitudes were wearing me down.
My husband and I decided to start up in business – something I could do since I couldn't go on with nursing. I was frightened and unsure, even angry with my role in these changes. It was definitely not what we had foreseen for our future lives.
But then I saw the Outward Bound course advertised in the Outlook magazine and thought, 'I need help to develop different skill sets, maybe this will do it?'.
Yes it certainly did. I learnt so much from other blind and vision impaired people that I returned home with a new perception of what I could achieve and our business grew rapidly.
Since then, I have continued to participate in events that can challenge self-growth. The RNZFB's
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Wanganui River Trip was a hugely spiritual journey, tandem biking trips are truly liberating, and this year's Abel Tasman kayaking trip was a joy.
Photograph: Kayakers taking a break on a beach in the Abel Tasman.
These activities have been inspirational. To be able to communicate, have fun and be supported by two deafblind members was exceedingly powerful. The willingness of totally blind people asking to learn sign language so they could communicate with our new deafblind friends was an amazing experience. We could change the world!
My husband is also very grateful. He has met other couples on tandem biking trips, making him realise he is not alone on his journey living with a vision impaired person. We have learnt to trust and believe in others to grow our own strengths and beliefs. This has deeply strengthened our marriage.
I challenge members young and old – put yourself out there, you will gain so much. Believe in yourself, you can do it! And to all those people who enable these life changing events to take place – I salute you."