This is a real life story .The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and using her hands to feel the location of the seats, walked down the aisle and found the seat he’d told her was empty. She settled down, placed her briefcase on her lap and rested her cane against her leg.
It had been a year since Susan, thirty-four years old, became blind. Due to a medical negligence , she had been suddenly thrown into a world of darkness, anger, frustration and self-pity. All she had to cling to was her husband, Mark.
Mark was an Air Force officer who loved Susan with all his heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her sink into despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength and confidence to become independent again.
After some time, Susan felt ready to return to her job. She was too frightened to take the bus. Mark volunteered to drive her to work each day even though they worked at opposite ends of the city. At first, this comforted Susan and fulfilled Mark’s need to protect his sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the slightest task.
However, Mark soon realized that Susan will have to take bus again but she was horrified at the idea of taking the bus again. “I’m blind!” She responded bitterly. “How am I supposed to know where I am going? I feel like you’re abandoning me.” Mark’s heart broke to hear these words . He promised Susan that each morning and evening he would ride the bus with her, for as long as it took, until she got the hang of it. For two weeks, Mark, in his military uniform and all, accompanied Susan to and from work each day.
He taught her how to rely on her other senses, specifically her hearing, to determine where she was and how to adapt to her new environment. He helped her befriend the bus drivers who could watch out for her and save her a seat.
Finally, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning arrived and before she left, she threw her arms around Mark, her temporary bus-riding companion, her husband and her best friend. Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience and his love. She said goodbye and for the first time, they went their separate ways. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday… Each day on her own went perfectly and Susan had never felt better. She was doing it! She was going to work all by herself.
On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was paying the fare to exit the bus, the driver said, “Boy, I sure do envy you.” Susan wasn’t sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year?
Curious, she asked the driver, “Why do you say that you envy me?” The driver responded, “It must feel good to be taken care of and protected like you are.” Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about and asked again, “What do you mean?” The driver answered, “You know, every morning for the past week, a fine-looking gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you as you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a little salute and walks away. You are one lucky lady.”
Tears of happiness poured down Susan’s cheeks. Although she couldn’t physically see him, she had always felt Mark’s presence. She was lucky, so lucky, for he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift she didn’t need to see to believe – the gift of love that can bring light where there is darkness.
