My Glasses

When I was in 3rd grade, we were told there was going to be an eclipse while we in school, so we all worked on our pin hole shadow papers so we could safely see this scientific wonder. All the while this one fact was repeated multiples time while preparing for the event: Do Not Look Directly at the Sun - You'll Ruin Your Eyesight.

The problem was, that I wanted to ruin my eyesight. I wanted to wear glasses and my eye exams always said my vision was fine. So, when the eclipse came, at first I followed directions and saw the eclipse's shadow on my slice of paper, but then, I peeked. Just for a quick moment, and I remember it taking more than normal to adjust back to normal vision and that was that. 

Pretty soon it was time for my eye exam and sure enough, I needed glasses. And THEN? I refused to wear them. I always got a new prescription when needed, but shortly after getting them I stopped wearing them, until about junior high. I'm pretty sure my reasoning for wanting to to tell blobs apart from each other was purely hormonal, but it got me seeing, which I think is universally a good thing. ;)

I have never been comfortable picking out my own glasses. Pick too small of a frame and the lenses turn out like large circles making me look like one of the Chipettes from Alvin and the Chipmunks, pick the thicker frame and I look like Every Unique Person Ever. When I was old enough I made the switch to contacts, and to this day, I much prefer the face looking back at me without frames, but the framed face has become much more familiar, and accessible, as one pair of glasses can go YEARS longer than a set of contacts. 

So. There's my little fable for you, only days too late for the 2017 eclipse of course, because what good is sound advice you can actually use?

I'm sure there's a deeper meaning there about my horrible decision making process and echoes of it through my life, but the surface point is pretty solid too. And I'm too tired from another hell-ishly long summer to dive any deeper.

If you are repeatedly told that doing a specific action gains a specific response: believe it. 

I was told if I looked at the sun, it was damage my eye sight and it did. Sure I'm not blind, but at this point in my life I can only see about 6 inches in front of me without assistance, and I can't imagine how much worse it will get as even more time passes. 

Luckily, glasses exist. ;)