Connection Beyond Sight and Sound

For many of us, the first things we associate with meeting a newborn are seeing their face and hearing their cry. Those moments are so deeply connected to how we understand meeting a new member of the family that it can be difficult to imagine the experience without them.

Open post on Instagram

Watching that video made me think about how easily we judge another person's experience through the way we experience the world ourselves.

She could not see her grandchild's face or hear the sounds around her, but that did not mean the moment lacked connection. She could feel the weight of the baby in her arms, the warmth of their body, their movement, their breathing and the closeness between them.

It was a reminder that connection does not depend on one particular sense.

It also made me think about accessibility in situations we rarely talk about, especially in moments this personal. How do the people around someone who is deafblind help them experience what is happening? How do we make sure they are included rather than simply being present? 

Accessibility is often discussed in relation to websites, buildings, workplaces or transportation. But it matters in deeply personal moments too.

Experiencing something differently does not mean experiencing it less

Perhaps the biggest thing I took from the video was how easy it is to assume that someone is missing out simply because they experience a moment differently from us.

Just my random thoughts