"Can you even see your boyfriend?" - such interesting questions I receive from people when they discover I'm visually impaired and have a sighted significant other.
To answer that question: Yes,I do know what he looks like - sometimes. Let's just say we don't believe in personal space at this point. 🤷🏻♀️
It wasn't always like that though. When I first met Joel we were both in middle school and this girl still had 20/20 vision. (we both hadn't grown into our faces yet either) And to be completely honest, I wish I could unsee 99% of those awkward phases. As for that 1% well, I wouldn't want to unsee Joel and that cute little baby face of his. Fast forward to now, we have been together for 6 years and I sit at a visual acuity of 20/400 due to my disease.
I make the saying: love is blind more of a positive annotation, lol.
But believe me, I can still see the faults we have from time to time.
Being visually impaired and experiencing life with someone fully sighted has been the most amazing and captivating love I have ever known and needless to say - I wouldn't want my life any other way.
THE WAYS HE SHOWS MY KIND OF "LOVE":
Beating me to the description of something without me asking: Whether we're driving in the car and he see's something cool or we're watching a movie and he reads the subtitles on cue. He has become so descriptive and specific with his words.
Picking up something I've dropped: Bless his soul, this saves me so much time and frustration.
Warning me before turning on/turning off lights: My eyes appreciate the heads up. ❤️
Tapping the screen on the pin pad while I pay: Swiping and inserting the card is no problem but, I can't read that screen of 20 questions to save my life. "AMOUNT OK?" "CREDIT" "DEBIT" "CASH BACK" etc.. Joel always has me covered.
Zooming in on a picture he wants to show me: This one makes my immediate reaction to an image more authentic. It's the little things.
Reminding me to wear my sunglasses: He must not want me to go "blind blind" lol. Always thinking about my little green eyeballs.
Reading the menu in public: Not only that but offering suggestions of things I would typically look for in food. Food is also the way to my heart FYI.
Letting me hang onto his arm in a dark area: Holding hands is cool and all but navigating is much easier when Joel lends his elbow out for me to hold while we walk around dark places (night walks, parking lots, etc) What a gentleman.
Taking over when I get frustrated: This is for all the times I try to strap my sandals, find the clasp of a necklace, align the buttons on a shirt and Joel always comes to save the day.
Showing me I'm more than his "Blind" or "Visually Impaired" girlfriend: It's truly the small things that mean the most to me and learning new gestures of love is something I will never take for granted.