A window on the world

A window on the world

The joy of discovering that I had a brain soaking up English literature, music and choral singing was fantastic. I’d had, until blindness struck, only a very basic education. It was really only occupation of the mind, rather than learning life skills. Now, at my school for the blind, teachers realized that I had something between my ears other than sawdust. And what joy, as I was pushed by the teachers beyond what I felt was my limit. Discovering all kinds of literature and being put in for O levels. No mean achievement when I had only just gone blind. I was also entered for Grades III and IV flute exam, with the Royal Academy of Music. The discipline of playing music correctly, getting as conversant with it as it was possible to be, and understanding music theory (which for me by and large was anathema), getting to grips with it and winning was marvellous...