When Darkness Falls

Karla Jay is a Distinguished Professor of English at Pace University, where I work. She recently published an essay entitled "When Darkness Falls," about losing her sight. It appeared originally in the Chronicle of Higher Education, then was republished on the Pace website. Whenever the conversation turns to the question, "What would you rather lose, your hearing or your sight," I always answer hearing. (For some reason my friends discuss this topic a lot. Maybe that is a little strange. We also, although we are all only in our mid 30s, have plans to move into a retirement community together when we are older.) I like listening to music, but almost all of my favorite activities--reading, writing, watching t.v., going to the movies--involve sight. Also, like Jay, I can't stand the thought of being dependent on people. Hopefully nothing like this will ever happen to me, but, if it does, I could only wish to handle it with Karla Jay's grace and determination.