The art of valuing what we see

Such a little word — “see” — yet so full of meaning. Take just the physical act of seeing. Eyes are second only to the brain in their complexity, composed of over two million working parts. Technically, we see with our brain and the eye acts like a camera taking in light and sending information for the brain to process — as much as 36,000 pieces of info in an hour. Over half our brain function concentrates on sight.

Another interesting fact—in an average life span a person’s eyes will see over 24 million different images. Eyes begin developing in the second week after conception—and contain the only cells that last from birth to death.

Appallingly, 80% of blindness throughout the world is curable. Which is how I got on to this subject. I saw a story on social media about a Nepalese ophthalmologist who has dedicated his life to bringing sight to the marginalized in his country — blind mainly due to cataracts. He and his team worked to bring the cost of intraocular lenses down from $300 to under $3. Dr. Ruit has walked as much as seven days to bring his equipment to a remote village. He has given the gift of sight to over 130,000 people.

Think of it! To not see. And one day a man comes to your village and with a simple procedure gives it all back to you. The colors … the people … the place that is your home, all restored. The ability to function fully in daily life. Imagine the rejoicing to be able to do this thing most of us do from the moment we wake until we fall asleep at night.

If it is difficult to put ourselves there all we have to do is close our eyes — and keep them closed for even five minutes — while we try to go about our activity. We won’t get far. And we may get hurt. As a teen, our daughter’s friend was leading her around the house blindfolded, telling her what to watch out for. But when she took her to the top of the basement stairs she didn’t speak up in time and our daughter stepped out into space. Her head put a dent in the wall at the landing. Thankfully, the sheetrock ended up worse off than she did.

Need a little joy in your day? Look around. Really see. Maybe the face of someone you love. Or the sky lit up at sunset. The lakes or rivers or mountains. The place that is north Idaho.

What about being able to get from one place to another using sight. To see the displays at the grocery store, find what you need. To read, to build, to make a meal, to watch a parade, to launch a boat.

When we see what we’re seeing and value it — then that’s a whole other depth of sight.