Wednesday, April 15, 2015

To See or Not to See.

When I turned 40 a kind of switch got flipped in my body that signaled my eyes to stop focusing.
It occured while I was sewing and in one day I just couldn't thread the needle any more.
I had to squint and stretch out my arms and turn on all the lights.
I had been sewing every day during that time so it was quite shocking to me!
The 'switch' was really more of a dimmer switch though, wayward human functions that altered me slowly and a little at a time, with my eyes being the first things affected.
The rest of the body however, had been put on notice for future bodily experiences only mentioned in the scary stories told around nursing home campfires on dark, moonless nights.
Understanding the need for eyewear though has been apparent to me since I was a young child.
My dear sister had several operations for her eyes when she was very, very young and from then on she needed glasses to see the world clearly.
So for her, a shocking transition would be to NOT wear glasses.
I can't begin to imagine...
But when I couldn't focus to do my sewing and was told I needed 'readers', it was shocking to me.
I needfully bought lots of cheap glasses so that every room in the house had a pair for me and then got back on with my life.
Through the years my lens magnification strength number continually went up and up and UP, until I now have become an official, over the counter, maximum strength, eyeglass wearer, with my doctors promise that the next level is a prescription, including..... dare I say it....bifocals!
Shrug....Smirk.
Sounds nuts to react with only a shrug and smirk, but this is the 21st century and the bifocals nowadays are NOT your grandfathers bifocals, so I'm good and there are not enough days left on my calendar of life to be fretting about glasses.
Besides, I don't need them yet.
I'm still reading, sewing, cooking and blogging in my OTC 'readers'.
But when I go out to eat I, mostly, don't wear them.
I use them to look at the menu but take them off to eat cause they slide down my nose and I can't see the folks across the table with them on.
So no glasses means I can't see my food either.
I could be eating delicately seasoned and shredded used paper towels with a side of leftovers from the previous patron and I'd never see it well enough to send it back...and request delicately seasoned, julienned used paper towels .


Food With Eye Glasses Off

Yet, there are times when I DO want to see what I'm eating.
It is often so beautiful and delicious looking that I must gaze at it like a work of art.
I can see the spices, the fresh herbs and the little grains of salt I just added.
The meal becomes a different kind of experience.
Its mystical and divine somehow.
Sort of a 'someone turned up the dimmer switch' event.
So I'm good with eyewear .
Anykind.
And I'm good with appreciating good cooking.
Anykind.


Food With Eye Glasses On

Thanks for being here.

P.S. It was Eggplant Parmesan and it was fabulous!

P.S.S. Remember that Twilight Zone where all the guy wanted to do was read and his wife wouldn't let him and while he was at his job at the bank he goes into the vault and falls asleep and while he's in there the end of the world happens and he's not sad, he's excited because now he can read all he wants, any time he wants, but while he's lovingly looking at books his glasses fall off and as he is looking around for them he steps on them and breaks them and now he CAN"T read anything?!? Remember that episode?!? Boy, I sure do. Glasses are important people! But you knew that.

3 comments:

  1. Burgess Meredith - who could forget that episode! Do you remember the commercial they ran when contacts that you could leave in over night (OVERNIGHT??!! Shocking!) came out. Like the Kennedy moment for me - the girl wakes up and says, "For the first time in my life I can wake up and see past my bed covers." I wanted to be that girl and have that vision. Still do. Maybe when I get to heaven...

    Great post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I want you to have that vision too !!!
      Thanks for reading by post.

      Delete
  2. yes, my tastebuds seem to enjoy seeing what I am eating. it just tastes better when you can see it.
    thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?....