“Before meeting Winston, I had never been a ‘dog person’ and didn’t really know how to interact with or care for a dog. I remember thinking, ‘This is going to be a new adventure,’ and it was one that I had wanted for quite a while. Still, I was incredibly nervous. My vision loss is degenerative, and as a result, I had been able to “pass” as a sighted person for years. In fact, many of my colleagues had no idea that I had sight loss. I knew that partnering with Winston would change that. I knew that everyone I encountered from here on out would know that I am blind. I wasn’t sure if and how that would change people’s opinions of me. Even when I first met Winston, I wasn’t sure if I was really ready for that, but he’s enhanced my life in more ways than I ever expected. There are, of course, the obvious ways. I can now travel more comfortably and confidently than I could before. I always managed fairly well before Winston. That said, I had never realized just how much effort and concentration it took to do something as simple as walking to my bus stop. I was always hyper-vigilant, walking head down and using my small amount of remaining vision to spot debris on the sidewalk, watch for obstacles and oncoming people. When my remaining vision started to disappear, I was finding myself exhausted at the end of any given day – my head hurt from straining to use my remaining vision as much as I did, and my posture was starting to suffer from always looking down when I walked. Walking with Winston changed all that. Now that we’ve been working together for a year, a walk to our bus stop is easy. Winston watches out for the debris and obstacles, and, for the first time in years, I can walk with my head held high knowing that he has got me covered. Winston has helped me to regain confidence, not only in my navigation of physical spaces, but also in my navigation of emotional spaces. Because I was able to pass as sighted before, I am regularly encountering old colleagues and acquaintances who had no idea that I’m blind. While I’m not at all ashamed of having sight loss, it’s still an emotional experience for me every time I let someone know. Now, every time this happens, Winston is with me, by my side, providing me strength and comfort, and often comedic relief of some sort - he is goofy and makes everyone laugh. When I first met Winston, I thought I was signing up for a dog who would help me navigate unfamiliar terrain. I had no idea that I was meeting a new best friend who would help guide me through many of the toughest aspects of being blind.”