Sight

Two months ago, Claire went to the eye doctor because we were concerned about her having a possible lazy eye. After her initial eye exam, the doctor said that, yes, she does have a drifting eye, but with her eyes having been dilated, it was much more dramatic, so he wanted to see her again, sans dilation.

Last week, Matt took her for her follow up and it was completely conclusive – she needs glasses in order to strengthen her eyes. She chose a fantastic purple tortie frame with purple and blue leopard print on the sides.

Today we picked them up.

(This is Claire’s self portrait while driving home. She can work my iPhone better than me, I swear.)

The glasses were totally made for her face. As I told her on the drive home, “You couldn’t look more beautiful if you tried.”

In the car, Claire kept saying things like, “Wow! I can see far away!” “MOM! LOOK AT THOSE LETTERS ON THE SIGN!” “DID YOU KNOW THAT THOSE WERE THERE?! I HAD NO IDEA!!!”

It almost brought me to tears. It was like she was seeing the world for the very first time.

This brought me back to when I got my first pair of glasses.

At my fifth grade parent-teacher conference, Mr. Janke (pronounced Yank) told my Mom that he was concerned that I was having problems seeing.

See, I had no idea. None whatsoever. I only knew the world to be fuzzy. I often remember wondering what was wrong with me, why everyone else could see the world clearly and I simply could not.

When my mom took me to the eye doctor, I was having a hard time grasping how poor my vision truly was. The eye doctor took me out to the waiting area with a lens and asked me to look out the window at the strip of buildings. He asked me to read the Sinclair gas station sign. I told him I couldn’t. Then he held up the lens in front of my eye and asked me again.

Even now, 18 years later, it brings a tear to my eye and a chill to my skin. I could read that sign. I could see the dinosaur on the sign. It wasn’t, in fact, a blob in the distance. There were letters. And numbers. And trees. And on those trees were leaves. And wisps of white in the clouds.

It was amazing. Simply amazing.

Sight is truly a gift. An amazing gift that I had been missing out on.

Sure, I wasn’t always fashionable, but damnit, I could see Niagara Falls.

And as I grew older, I got classier frames.

These particular frames I had for about 8 years before I got the frames I wear today.

(That’s Maelie. And it was 6:30 AM and I hadn’t slept in 24 hours. Just call me Jack Bauer.)

I obviously wear contacts, but every so often, glasses aren’t so bad. And I won’t really complain about them because with out them, I can’t see for shit.

Not to mention, they keep my hair out of my eyes.

(Senior pictures, what, what!)

I’ve been considering Lasik eye surgery for a while now, but I’d rather have my basement refinished. I’ll get it done eventually, but for now, glasses and contacts are all right in my book.

So today, Claire grew up before my very eyes. And I’m so thankful I have the vision to see it. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.