Remembering my doll collection

Whenever I feel like reminiscing a bit, I just love to sit back and remember my doll collection. True it is that I can do it by touch. That is, I can go to my doll cabinets and touch each doll individually but it’s not quite enough. You see, I just love to bring back those images into my mind.

I started collecting dolls when I was quite young. My parents helped me and over the years I have managed to collect over 60 dolls and counting. Then a year ago, my friend and her husband surprised me when they gave me a beautiful doll collection that belonged to his mom; she passed on last year.

So, here is how I remember. First, I go to the cabinet and start by touching each doll and as I touch each in turn I conjure up images of what they look like. Then I go to my favorite chair and there I sit and with much patience and meticulousness, I draw the big picture in my mind. In order to keep this picture forever preserved, I need to make sure that the dolls are arranged in a specific order. The ones that I remember them to be just before losing my vision. If any of them are out of order, then there goes my perfect picture.

It is a bit different for the doll collection that my friend and her husband gave to me. I don’t really know what they look like but my friend was kind enough to describe each of them to me so I have to draw on her descriptions to help me remember. Dolls, dolls! One of my favorite memories.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and share my memories with others. Visit www.rnib.org to learn how blind persons use their memories to help them have fun.