Let’s talk about fear. I saw a film about base jumpers, those typically short lived folks who leap from precipices and open their chutes at the last possible second. They, like all of those who defy death on purpose, hold a certain fascination for the rest of us. That’s because most of us don’t need…

Another peril of going blind has to do with basic, human communication. When I reached a certain point of vision loss, it seemed like my hearing also got worse. Not for all things, just when people were talking to me. I realized that all my life, I have been lip-reading as well as listening. So,…

I once heard a music teacher telling his students the key to mastering an instrument. “I know that right now you hate to practice,” he said. The students nodded. “But the more you practice, the better you’ll get, and the better you get, the more you like to practice. You just have to get over…