Meditative Story Dancing on my own, by Alex Morris
Mar 31, 2026
Alex Morris, a writer and former improv performer who lives with retinitis pigmentosa, tells a first-person story about hiding vision loss and learning to accept help. He recalls the safety of stage lights, the panic of getting lost, the surprising freedom of asking for assistance, and how trusting others widened his world.
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Childhood Pretend Sight At Museum
- Alex pretends he can see at age 10 during a school trip to the dim King Tut exhibit and fakes delight while feeling isolated.
- He focuses on keeping visual contact with a boy's uniform to avoid getting lost in crowds, revealing lifelong concealment.
Friend's Silent Guiding On The Dance Floor
- Ben silently guides Alex at parties by placing Alex's hands on his shoulders and creating a two-foot "imaginary box" so Alex can dance safely in bright areas.
- That nonverbal support lets Alex keep pretending to others while still joining social life.
Stranded And Pretending In The Street
- After a bouncer blocks Alex from entering a bar for wearing shorts, his friends go upstairs and his phone dies, forcing him to navigate home alone in the dark.
- He creeps along building edges, listens at crosswalks, and pretends on his phone to avoid asking strangers for help.