When Pope Francis came through Tokyo last week, I got the chance to see my second pontiff and was surprised with a second blessing — both humbling but also very different experiences.
It may seem odd for me to say I've seen two popes, since I am blind. But I saw them, only without my eyes.
Blind since the age of 4, I may not register visual images, but I see. I love birdwatching and even blog about it. My mind forms a tableau: I hear the birds singing, moving about, looking for food. It's a scene of imagination, a scene of feeling.