Imagine - a world so dark without color, shapeless objects, wordless stories. Before the summer of 2013, I couldn’t. I lived my life so self-centeredly I did not have a concern for how others involuntarily had to live theirs. Day-to-day I would come home from school, after driving my brand new car, and gripe about the lack of snacks we had to eat or diet colas we had to drink. I would complain about having to do the dishes or take out the trash or anything else my mother asked me to do. My room consistently stayed a mess - books here, trash there, and clothes (clean or dirty) - everywhere. I was a spoiled child who had everything I could ask for, but still never had enough.
During the winter of 2012, I applied to work at a summer camp for children who are mentally and physically disabled. I have had an interest in children with disabilities ever since I was young. There was something about these children that made me forget about myself - only for a second. The kids allowed me to focus on someone else. Throughout the month of February, I had underwent an interview at the campsite and learned that I had been accepted to work during the summer. I had no idea what I had gotten myself into.
Finally June 16th came, move in day, the day I was to move my stuff into my cabin and promptly begin working on the aesthetics of the campgrounds. This was rough for me because the only yard work experience I had done was mowing the yard, which happened about four times in my life. The camp officials instructed me to rake the pine straw that had accumulated over the previous year, paint the rusty swing set that was probably older than my grandmother, and sweep the entrances to all buildings on the property - all within the first 15 minutes of arriving. By the third night I was ready to go home and never come back. I had blisters from raking, ruined my favorite shirt from painting, and dirtied my tennis shoes from sweeping. I. Was. Done.
My parents have always taught me to never quit, whether it was sports or schoolwork I was not allowed to stop until the season was over or the school year was complete, and I took this mentality to camp. I stayed four weeks at camp, and my last week was one that completely changed how I viewed life. Her name was Taylor*. Taylor did not come to camp like I did - new and afraid. She was so outgoing and positive, and yet she had a handicap that I don’t - she was born blind and the severity of her blindness will never allow her to see. After her six hour bus ride, she was happy to be walking, but not ready to stay a week without the comfort of her mother being there. When she arrived, I was the first one to greet her. From that moment I knew that this child had stolen my heart. That afternoon I asked Taylor some questions just to get to know her better. I asked about her favorite television show, what music she liked, her favorite food, and how old she was. She even mentioned that her favorite color is yellow, even though she’s never seen it. After a week of having to dress her and feed her and basically become the mother she left behind, I knew I would never forget her.
Fast forward two years and it’s the summer of 2015. I had recently decided that I was going to attend LSU in Baton Rouge that fall and I was looking for places to work. While working with Taylor two summers back, I remembered that she went to a school specifically for children with visual impairments and I wanted to see if I could work there. I couldn’t put in an application fast enough. A few weeks later, I heard from the school and ended up getting a job at the school adjacent to hers working with deaf students. I looked forward going to work every morning because I knew even if I was having a bad day, Taylor was going to turn it around. In the 3 years I’ve known Taylor, I learned that she isn’t the less fortunate one. I am. She will never have to see unspoken conflicts. She will never have body image issues. She will always love people for who they are and not judge them by their looks. And for this I look up to her and admire the beautiful woman she will become. She has truly brightened my world.
