The story of a girl with a blind father.

#nana56b


Lines from the story

My father was completely blind.

On top of that, he was in a car accident
when he was young, so he could barely hear
anything without his hearing aid, and his
right leg was 15 centimeters shorter than
his left.

My mother was also born with low vision,
so my life always felt a bit different
somehow.

Despite being physically disabled, my
father loved going out. He often took us
out, the three of us together, with my
mother, who could see a little, assisting
him.

As a child, I loved going out with my
father like that.

But at some point, I started feeling
“ashamed.”

Because everyone we passed looked at my
father with curious eyes...

I began walking several meters behind my
parents. I pretended to be a stranger,
walking with my eyes downcast. Even so,
when my blind father grew anxious, he would
call out my name loudly.

“Where are you?!”
That voice echoing through the quiet
streets was unbearable. If I answered,
everyone would know I was “the disabled
man's daughter,” and those piercing
“curious stares” would start again.



I bit my lip, ignored his voice, and
quickened my pace. While he desperately
searched for me, I was pushing him away
in my heart.

Maintaining that twisted distance, in the
winter of my fifth-grade year, my father
passed away suddenly from a subarachnoid
hemorrhage.

Some time later, my mother began speaking
softly.
“Your father... he was so happy when you
were born. Since he couldn't see you
himself, he kept asking people around him,
‘Do you think she looks like me?’”
“The day someone told him your nose was
just like his, he spent the whole day
happily humming while he played with you.
He couldn't get enough of how adorable
you were.”

My vision blurred instantly with tears.
He must have noticed. That I deliberately
walked away, ignored him when he called
out. Yet he kept calling my name.

To protect my own image, I disregarded the
pure love he kept offering.



Many years have passed since then. I'm
about to surpass the age you were back
then.

Back then, I was so wrapped up in myself,
I didn't understand anything.

Now, even if I faced the coldest stares,
I could take your arm firmly and walk
beside you, chest held high.

“Dad,” why did you have to leave us so
soon?

I wanted to walk beside you much longer.

Saying this now is too late, I know.

I even thought, “How embarrassing.”
I'm truly sorry.

Now I can say proudly, “You are my
pride.”

Dad, can you see my face in heaven?

The other day, someone told me I'm
beautiful, that I resemble you.

At that moment, I was so happy, I
couldn't contain myself.