I am on the Amtrak train heading north and west from the Metro New York region. My guide dog is under the dining car table, safely out of the way of foot traffic and I have my Mac plugged into the train’s power source and the wifi is working and outside the windows you can see the mighty Hudson River and the mountains of beautiful New York state. The train is swaying like a drunken Finn who has come to town after years in the woods. The train is swaying like a bug eyed chicken. The train is really wobbly and if you had a penchant for seasickness I’d think this would be really bad for you. In a minute I’m going to try and drink a Pepsi. We shall see how that goes.
Mostly what I’m thinking about is the beauty of the guide dog movement–I’ve spent the last three days at my alma mater, Guiding Eyes for the Blind which is I believe (with some evidence) the nation’s best guide dog program. I’ve been interviewing the trainers about their work which, as you doubtless know is astonishingly complex–or you can imagine how complex it must be, for the aim is to train a dog from knowing nothing to being able to guide a blind person on the streets of New York, New York. And then your job is to train a blind man or woman to work with that dog, to trust it, to love it and follow it and become a bonded and soulful team. Frankly I know of no more beautiful job in the world, and I get choked up thinking about it. People who love animals and human beings equally, who want to see blind people succeed–that’s something.
That’s something. That’s something.
Planet of the Blind 
From what I have observed and read, and learned from your experiences, the bond, and the business of dog assisting human to function in the great world, is nothing short of a miracle. I cannot imagine a more visible sign of the great mystery of this world! Thank you for sharing it with us!
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