Ever hear a song that speaks to your soul? As the blind individual behind “Brian Schnabel’s Head Space” the song “Duck and Run” by 3 Doors Down resonates with me rather strongly of late.
The lyrics mirror my frustration of feeling like a pawn to some or simply unimportant to many others, struggling to get by, and pouring massive amounts of effort into small gains. Despite what the Woekest’s in the crowd say, it’s a known fact that many in society judge us by what we see and produce, and I can’t deny that navigating a world built for sight can be exhausting on multiple levels for us blind folks.
On the same token the song kicks ass because it speaks of more than just struggling to survive. It screams an intense level of defiance that, despite everything that’s transpired over the years, still seems to exist at my core.
“This world can turn me down, but I won’t turn away.” It’s a reminder that rejection doesn’t define us. It pushes through the hardship, acknowledging the grind (“walk a mile for an inch”) but refusing to give up. While pushing forward seems to be my default, some days I really wish I could just call it quits rather than have to deal with the constant crap. But, by default, “I can’t!”
Duck and Run nails it right on the head, too, that rock bottom can be liberating. “When everything’s gone, there’s nothing to fear.”
They say that true strength comes from facing adversity. Personally, I’m not sure if it’s strength or stupidity driving me forward at this point.
It could simply be that I’ve reached a point in life where I no longer care about the consequences of my actions. Worrying about what other people think of me hasn’t done me any favors in life and I’m tired of being written off as second class by everyone.
So! “No!” I won’t duck and run. But if you are one of the people in my environment that thinks you’re superior to me and have the write to blow me off, rip me off, treat me like property or exhibit abusive behavior towards me in any other way, “You might want to!”