Beth Finke is no stranger to loss. At 26, the former Elmhurst resident began to lose her sight, one of the devastating complications of Type 1 diabetes, with which Finke was diagnosed as a teenager and student at York Community High School.

And blindness has brought other losses: her knack for sight-reading music at the piano, her ability to recall the faces of important people in her life. And yet, Finke has gained things, too.

By necessity, she learned to play her songs by ear; in general, her hearing is sharper than most. She also has the advantage of being completely unaware of people’s color, race or outward appearance.

“And I love that about being blind,” said Finke, 48. “Sometimes people will ask, ‘Do you want me to describe so-and-so, and I’ll say, ‘No, I’d rather not know what they look like.’”

Ultimately, the disease that robbed her of sight has allowed her to see what’s important in life.

“I hope I’m a better listener and I think, because I went through some hardships, I’m also more compassionate and understanding of people,” Finke said. “Things don’t always work out the way we plan and it’s not our fault.”

It gave her at least one more thing: her seeing eye dog, Hanni.

Finke, now a freelance writer living in Chicago, returned to Elmhurst last week to promote her new book, “Hanni and Beth: Safe & Sound.”

The book, released in mid-October from Blue Marlin Publications, describes Finke’s relationship with Hanni and is intended to teach children about seeing eye dogs.

She came up with the idea for Safe & Sound while promoting her first book, “Long Time, No See.” That memoir was published in 2004.

“During question-and-answer times, all the questions were about the dog. I realized even though there’s a lot of information about them, people are still intrigued and they still don’t know the rules and all that,” she said. “A children’s book just seemed key. I really had in mind parents reading it to children and parents subtly getting this, too.”

Adults, she said, are often unaware of rules meant to keep seeing eye dogs focused when they’re working.

“There’s the distraction factor,” Finke said. “All dogs would rather be playing than working. They’re like people. So if you distract (them), it’s harder for (them) to do (their) work.”

She also wanted to show readers that blindness isn’t as disabling as they may think. For example, Finke holds several jobs, including teaching a writing class at the Chicago Cultural Arts Center and moderating a blog for Easter Seals in Chicago.

She and her husband, Mike Knezovich, have a 21-year-old son, Gus, who lives in Wisconsin.

“Equally important is that they read it and realize that people with disabilities can have very fun and interesting lives,” Finke said. “Actually, that’s not anything I intended. But throughout the story, there I am in the background, going to baseball games, interviewing people for stories and so suddenly kids are seeing this person who is blind who is having a good time. We’re not these pathetic creatures to be felt sorry for.”

Finke presented her book Thursday at Messiah Lutheran Church. She will return to Elmhurst Tuesday, Nov. 27, when she will talk about her book at the Elmhurst Public Library, 125 Prospect Ave. That event will start at 3:30 p.m. in the children’s department.