Thankfulness Project: Day 13

I always think about what it means to wear eyeglasses.  When you get used to glasses you don't know how far you could really see.  I think about all the people before eyeglasses were invented.  It must have been weird because everyone was seeing in different ways according to how bad their eyes were.
-Andy Warhol



Saturday morning I woke up and -- like every morning -- reached for my glasses.

Later as I prepared for a day of shopping I decided to switch to contact lenses.  And I felt thankful.

I remember those rough pre-teenage years before I received my first set of contacts.  I remember the times since then that I've been restricted to glasses only.  Simply having a choice between the two is a blessing.

I also remember getting to choose between a handful of hideous frames.  They kept those hidden in a drawer -- didn't even display them -- for when the poor kids got their exams.  It's a superficial thing, I know, but getting to pick designer frames these days feels like such a blessing to me.

And I remember those days restricted to glasses only when I had to be driving or outdoors and could only squint against the sun if I hoped to see anything at all.  Some may paint it superficial, but prescription sunglasses have been a wonderful gift.

Another of the day's blessings won out on Saturday for the Day 9 blog, but I saw a link in my newsfeed this afternoon that listed 22 things only those with truly terrible vision would understand.  I chuckled through it and decided today would be dedicated to all the things I appreciate about corrected vision.

Before glasses, I didn't realize trees had individual leaves.  I thought leaves were the portions of trees that fell to the ground each fall.  I knew about stars but had never actually been able to look up into the sky and see them.  Once I couldn't find a horse my mom kept trying to point out to me.  That's when she knew things were bad.

Thankfully, all those things come into focus these days.  Corrected, my vision is perfect.  And for that I am so thankful.

Like Mr. Warhol, I think back to the days before eyeglasses.  If I was in that time, I would be considered blind and shut off from the world around me.  So many opportunities would have been lost simply because I would not be able to see to take advantage of them. 

I'm thankful to live in a time when eye health and vision correction is a thriving field of qualified, knowledgeable doctors.  I'm thankful for the wonderful ones who have treated me over the years.

And every single day I'm thankful for being able to see.