These days many of us are aware of “Influencers” on social media, these folks have made a name (and money) for themselves on the internet by working at selling themselves. I have come to understand that there are other influencers in the world who have been around long before the internet, life influencers. I have come to understand that I enjoy being an influencer, even when I don’t realize I’m doing it. 

Here are examples in my life. After about a week of being homebound due to ice and snow I was finally able to get out in my neighborhood. On a cold, sunny afternoon I walked to my local restaurant for food, friendship, and music. People we’re still a bit crabby from the bad weather so I wanted to change the mood. I played a bunch of “sunshine” the Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffett, songs about the sun…It wasn’t long before I heard more laughter, people singing along, our waitress singing and moving to happy music, thanking me for the sun in her day. This was a conscious choice on my part, but you can also be an inadvertent influencer. 

 A number of times I have met new people who have told me that they were already aware of me from seeing me around town. Some of the comments I’ve heard are, “you walk with such confidence”, “your head is up, and your shoulders back”, and my favorite, “you look so happy”. I had no idea that one white cane user can influence so many people’s perception about blindness and how we can learn to dance with our vision changes and make it into a beautiful thing.

 Go out and be a life influencer!