Imperfect eyesight usually results in the need to wear glasses or contacts. When the mental roadmap from eyes to brain breaks down, we accept correction; in fact, we are very willing to pay for and accept the prospect of living with corrective eyewear in order to restore our ability to see clearly. Being able to “see” clearly increases your quality of life and improves your other senses.
After a quick eye exam in elementary school, the nurse determined I needed glasses. The fact that I couldn’t read anything but the giant E sped up the diagnosis. A note was sent home to my parents and my mother promptly took me off to visit the family ophthalmologist who spent some time determining how “bad” my eyes were. I was following the footsteps of my three older siblings who already wore glasses. Ground zero was my sister with the light blue cats-eye shaped specs. Second oldest sister had fancy tortoise shell frames and my older brother sported sensible manly glasses. I was fitted with a pair of frames that made me sick every time I looked at the ground for a couple of days. Eventually, the lenses retaught my brain and I could see well. It was extraordinary to see individual leaves on trees and the little words in all my books spoke to me. Aside from the awkwardness of the expected “four eyes” as a new name, the most difficult part was still not being able to see while swimming and finding my glasses in the morning to get out of bed. In my teenage years, I transitioned to contact lenses and hid my blindness. Technology rescued me again with surgical correction. I still marvel at the ability to see skinny tree limbs in the winter. Sight, in many ways, is easy to take for granted.
It took me longer to develop vision. There is no big chart test. There were no indications that my older siblings struggled with understanding their roles in life. Being a late bloomer meant I could be embarrassed when asked about my goals and future life. I wasn’t prepared because I didn’t know what questions would be on that test. When asked by prospective employers, I could easily provide the expected answer and ace any job interview. But I wasn’t really aware of just how each opportunity fit into my plan because I hadn’t made a real one. Big mistake. I wished someone had told me sooner that I needed one.
But once on track and able to see my next desired outcome, I made great progress. Planning and adjusting plans along the way created a steady stream of promotions and provided unexpected benefits. It also gave me the secret to helping make better outcomes for my family. Trying out activities for children never meant permanent membership; meeting teachers early in the school year meant better updates. Progress followed process, adjustments were made and satisfaction followed. Maybe vision and sight go hand in hand.
Now, I am a frequent visionary. I even create occasional vision boards to remind myself to look ahead and plot a new path, good advice from my pre-glasses days. The best part is my gift of sight is still excellent so I won’t get lost very often. Unless I feel like following another path. And sometimes detours provide a new way to reach a destination.
Can you “see” where you are going? What tests in life tell you what you need to make progress? If you close your eyes, where are you?
