Taught to see by a blind man

[Gerry]

Hard to believe it but it's true. I went for my walk one day up the hill in front of my home and decided to stretch myself further going over the first hill and climbing the second hill behind it up to Grainne's Gap. It's twice the distance and straight up and down.

As I was nearing the summit the sound of the water falling downhill in the roadside shuck gets quieter and quieter as the flow decreases.

Reaching the crest I have an awesome view of the two loughs ambling to the wild Atlantic as they are penetrated by Inishowen Pennisula. I stopped to get a breath and sat quietly on the ditch soaking up the vista that was before me and thanking God for giving me this.

Then I had a fright as "God" spoke back to me. As I got my heart out of my throat I realised that "God" was a fellow walker on the hillside. He had been sitting blending into the hillside in silence observing all around when I had intruded on his space.

We started to speak and it dawned on me that my fellow walker was totally blind. There were no pupils in his white eyes to take in all that surrounded him. We spoke for a while and he started to ask me questions about the distance from the sea as he could smell it. All I could smell was sheep ****.

Then he froze. Finger to his lips. "There she is" he said and pointed skywards. I looked up but nothing could I see. Close your eyes he said. As I sat is the silence of a westerly breeze I started to hear the bird cry. Very faint. Very distinctive. I dared to open my eyes and sure enough about 200 yards away the distinctive sweep of the eagles wings majesticly passed low over the heather. We were above the tree line with no perch for her to use. She dropped into the purple sea and didn't rise again.

What a lesson. There are none so blind as he who will not see.

By Gerry Temple

[ChrisGeorge]

Hello

Yes it's a grand story and quite instructive.

But is this story true or not. I know I've read it before. And you have posted it before elsewhere on October 05, 2007 when the story read the same and you said "Hard to believe it but it's true. I went for my walk today up the hill. . ."

Just curious.

Chris

[Gerry]

No this is true. I wrote this piece after a walk up the hill in front of my home and posted it on two other forums.

I've seen the eagle a few times after that but I never met the blind man again.

[ChrisGeorge]

That's fine. I was just wondering since it still says it as if it happened today. Glad to hear it is a true story. Thanks for posting it.

Chris

[Gerry]

I just cut and pasted the main report I wrote. \I really should have updated it. Sorry

[Steven]

Originally Posted by ChrisGeorge

That's fine. I was just wondering since it still says it as if it happened today. Glad to hear it is a true story. Thanks for posting it.

Chris

Yup, it's a true story Chris. I suggest that another thread is opened up for Bendovers Rantings, his poetry and his photos. He is a very talented guy.

[ChrisGeorge]

Originally Posted by Steven

Yup, it's a true story Chris. I suggest that another thread is opened up for Bendovers Rantings, his poetry and his photos. He is a very talented guy.

Hello Steven and Bendover

That's great. Then we'll look forward to more of Ben's postings!

Chris

[Gerry]

I'm happy to take some of the bits and pieces I've written in the past few months and put then into individual threads. I'll edit as I go along (hopefully)

[ChrisGeorge]

Originally Posted by Bendover

I'm happy to take some of the bits and pieces I've written in the past few months and put then into individual threads. I'll edit as I go along (hopefully)

Individual threads are fine, then, Ben.

Chris