Macular Degeneration: Your Gift of Success After Vision Loss

by Nancy Shugart

A Chinese Proverb says, "To know the road ahead, ask those coming back."

Friends, I am coming back. I have been down that road that many of you with vision loss are just beginning to travel. I am here to tell you that that road is an exciting one. It is filled with more opportunities and more technology aids than ever before. Macular Degeneration, or any other eye condition, does not have to slow you down.

Along that road, I met many people who proved to me just what is possible with vision loss. I met public school teachers, business owners, computer programmers, website designers, engineers, financial analysts, and yes, even a New York Governor, who all have vision loss and yet achieved incredible success!

These people proved to me that it would be possible for me to live my dream as a public school teacher even though many were telling me that it was not possible because of my vision loss.

Each person with vision loss who has succeeded has given a tremendous gift to this nation and to this world for they have not only proven just what is possible but they have blazed a trail that the rest of us can travel.

The success you achieve after your vision loss does not belong just to you. It belongs to all of us. We all benefit from your success.

Each success you achieve helps to put cracks in that glass ceiling!

For this reason, your success is your gift to your family, to your community, to your country, and yes, even to the world.

"To know the road ahead, ask those coming back."

As you are coming back on this road, what will you have to say to those just beginning their journey?

Will your words and actions inspire, encourage, and foster hope? Will others with vision loss be empowered to keep moving forward to achieve more than most believe to be possible for their lives?

Will your success provide evidence of just what is possible for others?

I believe it will!

To go from loss of sight to a dynamite life, focus on giving. The greatest gift you can give to others who have lost eyesight is your success. Every success you achieve helps to shatter that glass ceiling!