I am a writer and poet, originally from Los Angeles, now living in Ireland with my husband, 2 pugs and 2 cats. I am also going blind. This blog is the story of my slow approach to blindness, as I traverse through the rubble of life. It is about moving into darkness and learning to see.
©All work on this site is original and written by Susan Richardson , unless stated otherwise.
Stories From the Edge of Blindness 
January 2, 2018 at 4:04 pm
am much enjoying your lovely site 🙂
January 2, 2018 at 4:19 pm
Thank you so much! I am enjoying yours as well!
January 14, 2018 at 7:20 am
Hello, I have tried to find your name on this blog, but to no avail. I found you “liking” my latest poem on Sheila-Na-Gig journal. Are you Darren Morris? Did you write “Handbook for the Blind” for Rattle? If so, I have to tell you how much that poem affected me. It remained with me like stubborn stain that would not disappear. It was a beautiful example and tribute to how suffering can be transformed into beauty. Thank you! I look forward to exploring your other work. Best wishes, Linda
January 14, 2018 at 7:39 am
Hi Linda – My name is actually Susan Richardson, but I am going to find Darren Morris’s poem on Rattle. I really loved your poem in the current issue of Sheila-Na-Gig; it has such beautiful and subtle movement with so much underlying sadness. Thank you for reaching out. I look forward to reading more of your poetry. My best to you,Susan
January 14, 2018 at 7:46 am
I just read his poem; it is extraordinary and humbling.
January 14, 2018 at 7:51 am
Hi Susan! Wow…what a strange coincidence, no? Thanks so much for reading my poem and your encouraging comments. We are all writing in the “dark” and it’s nice to know when some spot of light reaches someone 🙂
January 14, 2018 at 8:39 am
…ooops…this is your about page…I left a comment somewhere around here 🙂
January 14, 2018 at 9:35 am
Hi Susan,
Well, of course, I see that you are the winner of the poetry prize on Sheila-Na-Gig which I have just gotten around to reading!! Gorgeous and well-deserved!! I especially loved “Lentils”. The contrast of the violence and the simple act of stirring a pot was arresting 🙂 Kudos!
January 14, 2018 at 10:19 am
Thank you so much Linda! I am proud to be in such good company!
March 30, 2018 at 4:50 pm
I wrote it, Susan! I dedicated it to you! You said I wrote a poem so I ran with it. If it bombs… I am going to freak out! haha. Kinda fun to feel fear about my writing again!
March 30, 2018 at 6:38 pm
I am sooo Excited!!!!
April 13, 2018 at 9:51 am
Hi there! Cool blog 🙂 I write over on The Rocky Safari http://www.therockysafari.com
April 13, 2018 at 10:12 am
Thank you! I am excited about reading yours!
April 13, 2018 at 10:13 am
😀 thanks!! Your glasses are so nice btw
April 24, 2018 at 2:37 pm
Your words have captured my imagination…
April 24, 2018 at 4:11 pm
Thank You!!!!!
April 26, 2018 at 2:24 pm
My pleasure!
May 28, 2018 at 9:38 am
Ms. Susan, are you on facebook?….Will you please be my friend? 😛
May 28, 2018 at 10:16 am
Of course, you Lovely Creature! I am not on there much, but I will go on to find you. How do I find you?
May 28, 2018 at 2:54 pm
Grace fullnot…same orange rose picture…and TY!!!!
May 29, 2018 at 7:56 am
Yay!!!!
June 28, 2018 at 6:21 am
Susan, I love your poetry, and my heart aches for what you are going through. I looked for an email or something so we could have a conversation outside of our blogs. If you go to my blog, my email is under my contact tab. I actually wrote my dissertation about my mother (with RP) and how she constructs such and independent identity and close relationships with sighted people by the way she uses language. It is called In the Face of Blindness: Negotiating Identity in Blind/Sighted Interaction. Anyway, I’d like to hear more from your heart and share more of my mother’s and my experiences with RP. Warm regards,
elisa
June 28, 2018 at 6:42 am
I have the chills right now; you are amazing. I will send you an email through your contact page. Thank you!!!
July 4, 2018 at 6:02 pm
Hello, Susan.
I am working with a life of dwindling vision. too. I have advamced diabetic retinopathy and, while I may well continue to be able to see for several years to come, there is always the possibilty of sudden and permanent vision loss due to a blood sugar spike or dip.
Thank you for this engaging blog. I am happy to have discovered it.
July 4, 2018 at 6:35 pm
Hi Michael! Thank you so much for finding me and stopping by and having a read! I have known one person with diabetic retinopathy, but don’t know a whole lot about it. I am very interested in learning more. I know that those of us who face the prospect of losing our vision completely, live with an unavoidable and underlying fear. It is my hope that sharing my stories will help the sighted community gain some understanding, and for those who share our plight to feel less alone.
October 5, 2018 at 6:49 am
Years ago I worked with a person who tackled blindness in such a positive way that it made me feel guilty complaining about anything. By opening up and allowing us to be a part of your journey your showing everyone that blindness will not take away your life.
Happy I found your site.
October 5, 2018 at 6:55 am
Thank you so much, Bryan. This is so absolutely lovely of you, and I am glad to meet you.
October 24, 2018 at 10:07 pm
I follow your blog and enjoy it very much. Thought I would stop by and let you know how wonderful your writing is. E.
October 25, 2018 at 6:46 am
Thank you so much, Elizabeth, for reading and taking the time to comment, and for the Twitter share. It is all so very kind of you.