Post #2322877

I've been thinking about something as of late while my living situation shifts around. As a community, and I'm talking the blind community specifically, we tend to get weird when it comes to living situations. What do I mean? I'll explain. There's this line that's walked in the community. If you're not living on your own with no help you're second place. If you don't have the perfect housing situation you're second-class in the pecking order within the blindness community. That is absolute trash. Why does this idea exist. I know people who are happy living with their families and they do the things they're able and the family is fine with it. These days, I'm all for existence in a space that's comforting for you, who fucking cares what that looks like. I'm not the one living your life, I won't judge. If you're not happy with your living situation on the other hand and you actively complain about it and then expect me to fix it? Then I judge a little, I won't lie, but really, it's nobody's place if you're happy with the place you're at, or the place you'll be in, it's nobody's right to tell you that you're any less than anyone else or to question your choices. When I first said something to people about the fact I was going to be living close to my folks but not with them, in a town that's literally the pure deffinition of southern small town everybody knows everybody, I got questions and I know they were curious ones but every time I got asked, "Are you sure you'll be okay without access to transportation?" or "Are you okay with having to depend on your parents for things like grocery shopping?" I felt so fucking judged and it made me shut down and not want to talk about how excited I was about this new place. I grew up in southern small towns. I've lived in big cities in my 20's like Denver, Sacramento and Tallahassee, and while yes, having access to transportation was a need that was met, and being able to order food when I wanted was nice, city life got old. The hustle and bustle of city life doesn't drive me so much now. Honestly? I want the quiet. I look forward to mornings when I can walk out my back door and have coffee on my porch and just listen to the world shift and go by. I'll appreciate those trips to town when I take them and I'll work out the rest as I go. There are things I don't like about this, sure, but it's not enough for me to worry on now. I hope that whatever living situation you're in, disabled or not that you're happy and finding peace when you can get it.