Family Legacy
As a former CTV sportscaster and colour commentator, Bob Huber was used to being social and independent, but when the Regina resident lost his sight his world changed.
“When you lose your eyesight, a couple of things happen. The first thing you notice is there are a number of things you can’t do anymore. You immediately feel like you have lost personal freedom and that is a huge adjustment,” said the 64-yearold.
Bob lost his sight due to glaucoma surgery complications when he was 51 years old. Suddenly, he was reliant on others to drive him around, everyday tasks took longer, and he couldn’t do some tasks at all.
He felt isolated and didn’t know how to navigate the world anymore because he wasn’t able to see. “I wanted to stay in my house and not venture out. Feeling comfortable and safe at home, I didn’t want to venture out into a world I was not familiar with.” For a couple of years, he accepted that his life would be this way. “I found life unfulfilling, but I never gave it a second thought.”
It was during an appointment with his optometrist that he found out about CNIB. He began learning white cane skills, accessed the independent living skills program and learned technology skills on his iPad. His world began to get bigger.
Huber was an avid reader before he lost his sight but hadn’t been able to read since. “It was a big hole.” He was introduced to the talking book program through the CELA library services and his world began to open even further.
Then he began his involvement with the CNIB Peer Support Group in Regina and found a wealth of knowledge on how to navigate the world. “This group is a lot of help for people like me who thought there was not a lot of help out there.” Learning new skills to cope and different ways of doing everyday tasks eased his frustration with his vision loss.
Most of all, because of the examples of others in this group, Bob no longer puts limits on what he can or can’t do. “Thanks to them I have more confidence when I leave my home and the world is not such a scary place anymore.”
CNIB is starting a Peer Group in Moose Jaw that will run the third Tuesday of each month starting on September 18, 2018. CNIB needs a volunteer to run the group.
A peer group volunteer helps to facilitate meetings that are outlined by CNIB and the participants. The meetings are a place for the participants to get information on different topics that relate to vision loss. The volunteer is responsible for making sure the group stays on task and working with the CNIB staff person to get the meeting information and speakers.
The volunteers do not need to have any experience with vision loss but it can be helpful.
For more information about how to participate in or volunteer to lead the Moose Jaw Peer Group call Ashley at (306) 565-5413 or email: ashley. nemeth@cnib.ca. As I touched on last week, legacy is something handed down from one generation to the next. For those of you who took the time to reflect and think on the family legacy you’re handing down, how did you do? I admit I have been more aware of what is important for me to hand off to the next generation and have made some adjustments in our family. Deuteronomy 6: 6 & 7 says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
There are three steps we can take before we determine what it is that we should pass along. Step one is to know the non-negotiables. What are the values and ways of life that you are solid on? Make a list. Secondly, get on a journey of knowing “who you are.” In recent months, I’ve been sharing a bit of my identity journey. If we really know who we are, we can live out our life more fully and effectively. Third step is look around to see what problem needs solved that can be solved. This is tied into who you are.
According to the Focus on the Family website, there are three important aspects to building a strong family legacy. Emotional, spiritual and social legacies all wrapped into one create a “three strand cord.” Together, when passed on, they are strong, positive and effective. Even if we’ve had a hard, traumatic or negative past, we can change it around to become a strong, positive force that will impact generations to come! Look at all those in the Bible who had difficult pasts but, with God’s help, changed their present which changed their future. An emotional legacy includes a sense of security and stability. If drama is your way of life, begin to make small changes to create a sense of calmness and stable state in your home. Start to consistently make your home a safe place where trust is built, security is offered and a positive sense of well-being is encouraged. A social legacy provides opportunities to learn about relating well to others; with dignity, respect, courtesy, and unconditional love.
A spiritual legacy is much more than encouraging your children to go to church. Building a strong spiritual legacy is about walking the talk, making God a part of your life every minute of every day. It is about reinforcing that God loves everyone. It is about incorporating spiritual principles in the mundane, living by faith despite circumstances and developing trust in the faithfulness of God. It is about making Jesus Lord over your family and following His Word, using it as your final authority in all aspects of life. It is being real and authentic, living in an attitude of forgiveness and servant leadership. It may seem like this is a large bill to fill, however Jesus is the One who enables us to live this out. It is through His strength, wisdom and grace we can aim to be like Him. If we want to affect tomorrow, we must affect today. Whatever we do today will bring results tomorrow. Begin to make the changes necessary to leave a lasting legacy; a heritage our children and grandchildren will be proud of and live out.