Blindfold - Testing your own Resolve

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Many years ago I attended a personal development session. This session was led by an actor who trained other actors and part of what she was teaching was about use of space. One of the exercises involved rolling a small coloured ball (a ping-pong ball to be precise) out across the floor, putting a blindfold on then trying to retrieve the ball. I was horrified by this - there was no way I would succeed, so I have long since learned this is the time to volunteer first. I rolled the ball out, judged it stopping point to be about six and a half paces away and about 1.5 metres from the presenter. The assistant put the blindfold on. I expected to miss it entirely, but instead I did it, I walked straight out, bent down and picked up the ball without hesitation. The trainer had never seen anyone do that before, most people stop arms length away and sweep for the ball. Have you ever challenged yourself in such a way? I hate blindfolds, they have always made me aware of my greatest fear, blindness. Well a few years later I was blind for a few weeks (and I include my article about this at the end). When this had happened I was sat on the sofa in the living room and was about to go to bed four paces forward I should be able to touch the TV, I walked the four paces, but crashed into the table next to me. How? Why? I remembered that exercise and could not understand why I turned 180 degrees in 4 steps. The difference of time? Perhaps a different situation?