When I began gathering my topics on blog content, I knew I wanted to talk to my brother-in-law, Jerry and sister-in-law, Arabia. Even though we do not see or talk to each other as often as we should, we have a special understanding and bond through our connection to my brothers.

Throughout my journey, I have grappled with feelings of isolation even amidst a supportive community. With personal growth and maturity, I’ve realized this isolation stems from my unique experiences being the sighted sibling. These experiences look like navigating through a crowd with three blind adults synced together like train cars drawing curious stares. It is confronting the complexities of family planning and bearing the weight of a genetic disorder predisposing to blindness. It is watching my brother’s glorious dance moves only to see him being openly ridiculed nearby. These experiences have evoked a range of emotions such as guilt, anger, embarrassment, and inadequacy. Yet, they have also been instrumental in shaping my resilience, embracing inclusivity and diverse perspectives, and building a profound belief in my own self-worth, values, and principles.

I invited Arabia and Jerry to contribute to this post because they are my brothers’ partners and bring their own distinctive perspectives and experiences that I think deserve attention. During our conversation, we delve into first impressions, the struggles they encounter as the partner, and insights they wish to share about the blind and low vision community.

Picture: The image on the blog post and video thumbnail shows a sandy beach with mountains in the distance. I selected this picture because water played a part in each of our weddings. Jeremy and Jerry celebrated their union on the beach, Corey and Arabia exchanged vows on a river, and I tied the knot (to a Nott) in front of a water fall.