A blind man told me not to pity him. Instead, empathise

Getting a taste of life without sight actually opened my eyes to the world of people with disabilities.

- Theresa Tan Senior Social Affairs Correspondent

For the first time in my life, I froze at the simple act of sitting down.

It was pitch-dark, I couldn't see the chair, and I was afraid of crashing to the floor instead.

Around me, I could hear my teammates waiting for me to sit so that Dialogue in the Dark Singapore’s workshop could begin.

(Funny how I couldn’t see the people around me, but I still felt the pressure not to fall behind.)

I found the chair, felt it repeatedly to gauge its height, took a deep breath — and finally sat down after a few minutes of bewilderment.

In the past month, I attended two experiential sessions which helped me better understand the lives of persons with disabilities.

The experience of being without sight gave me insight into the grit and perseverance with which blind people navigate daily life.

I had honest chats with some of them and learnt how, like the rest of us, they are doing their best within their limitations. And they don’t want any pity.

Dialogue in the Dark Singapore is a centre that allows participants to experience the challenges blind people face on a daily basis. Its programmes are conducted in complete darkness, and are facilitated by blind guides.

For example, it runs “Tour in the Dark”, where participants navigate everyday scenarios without their sight.

It also runs corporate programmes like the three-hour-long “Darkness to Light: Illuminating Possibilities” workshop my colleagues and I were hosted to, where we had to tackle challenges as a team.

I also went for a Resilience Trail, designed and led by guides from low-income backgrounds, such as single mothers and persons with disabilities, and run by a social enterprise called Skillseed.

The guides talk about their lives and the community they live in, and share their experiences of social issues such as staying in public rental housing, food insecurity, mental well-being and social isolation.

STUMBLING IN THE DARK