Child Development Center

Through His Eyes: a mom’s tribute to her son, who is blind

Terri with her two sons: Kieran, who is blind, snuggles at her leg, and Brodie sits in her arm.

Kieran is a young Missoula, Montana boy who loves the outdoors, music and his family. He is also blind.

What started as a typical trip to the grocery store ended in a proud, poetic tribute to Kieran, written by his mom, Terri. It was Terri’s response to a pitying stranger who assumed that his disability held him back. The encounter inspired Terri to express what a cool kid Kieran is, how he so clearly sees the best parts of people and places and, in closing, the honor she feels in being his mom.

Read. Reflect. Re-share.

Through His Eyes

Some days I wish I had no sight.
Some people see my son with his cane and say  “poor kid.”
What they don’t know is they are the ones missing out.

Kieran is blessed with the ability to meet people and judge them by one thing: the way they treat him.

He never mistakes a kind person for a fat person or a poor person.
He never judges someone by their skin color or by the brand of shoes they wear.
He doesn’t care where they work or how much they make.
He doesn’t know how much makeup they wear or what car they drive.

Kieran smiles & holds his cane.

He enjoys the most beautiful part of people: their soul.

Are they kind?
Are they patient?
Are they understanding?
Are they happy?

Can they love without these judgments?

This theme is reoccurring in his life.

Kieran doesn’t care what he wears. He doesn’t care if he looks cool.

He only wants to play or snuggle or learn or read or listen to music.

He doesn’t need the candy with the cartoon on it.
If it tastes good then it actually tastes good.
It’s not just bright green or has sprinkles.

Kieran doesn’t want a new toy from the store.
He wants to go wander in the forest and climb anything he finds.
He wants to enjoy a bath for eternity,
and feel the comfort of snuggling with Mommy in the rocking chair.
He wants to hear music.
He wants to feel it and experience it in its most raw form.

Kieran is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met, and I am honored to be in his life.
I am honored to teach him, to love him, to help him, to be his Mommy.

Every day he teaches me more than I could have imagined.
I strive to live more like him every day.