Motivational Monday: 2/25
Motivational Monday
“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.”
By: Henry David Thoreau
This quote reminds me of ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’. It also reminds me of perspective. Do you see the glass as half full or half empty? There are many ways to interpret this quote.
Why did I settle on this quote for this week? Well, I have had to wear glasses since the 4th grade – nearsighted and severe astigmatism. As an adult I wore contact lenses and used reading glasses. None of this helped at all when I went swimming. I could not see anything further away than arms length. It was really embarrassing to run in to someone while swimming, or lose your way back to where you left your things by the side of the pool. It does not inspire confidence I can tell you.
Eventually my eyes would not tolerate wearing the contact lenses so it was full time bifocals all the way.
Then one day I had lasik done. Best thing I ever did. What lasik does not do is stop the natural aging process. So here I am 5 years later and I need vision correction again. Yes. It’s bifocals again. The situation is different now because I can still see well enough to go swimming without getting lost or running in to anyone.
So this quote holds yet another meaning for me. It’s literal today. Now I can actually see what I am looking at.
How do you interpret this quote? What does it mean for you?
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Yep, It's a great quote. I too have worn glasses at an early age. For me, I was 9 months old. I was farsighted with a stigmatism and with a lazy eye. I had surgery at 4 and have worn glasses all of my life except for a short stint with contacts. Lasik is something I can't use to correct my eyes as of yet. I am the .05 of the population with my issue… Big Sigh!
Just when I thought I was the only one where I was the exception to the rule. 🙂
Is this a how old do I feel post? My eyes always test great when I have my vision tested, but at times I need glasses to read (makes me feel so old and I am only 40). So far my prescription hasn't changed for my reading glasses. I have been using the same ones for 8 years or so.
I do like that the quote reminds us to have vision instead of just sight. Vision is looking to your future and seeing more than just your surroundings. See how things can be instead of simply what they are right now.
I was not blessed with great eyesight, but I am thankful I have sight. I also agree with you about having vision.
Hi Cheryl: Another great quote! It's so true that several of us can look at the same thing and see something completely different. It all boils down to perception. Thank goodness that we in North America are blessed to have lots of choices to create our reality. We are truly blessed.
Yes we are truly blessed to live in a place where there are choices to create our reality.
First off, I love Thoreau! Second of all, this quote reminds me of how reality really is a subjective experience. We filter everything we observe through our perceptions which are shaped by all that makes up our surroundings. I too have worn glasses since fourth grade. My eyes are strong and haven't gotten worse in years, but without contacts, can barely even see the big E on the eye chart! I still remember when my eye doctor took me outside in front of his office so I could look at the mountains with corrective lenses. I was floored. The green blobs on the hillsides had distinct branches and trunks! Who knew?
I remember that moment when I got my first pair of glasses. Oh the things I could finally see!
I can relate to this quote and it is a great reminder. I put off getting glasses until a friend got angry at me sitting at the back of a university lecture. As I couldn't see the screen at the front I kept asking her to read the words until said she perhaps it is time to get glasses. Unfortunately I couldn't have Lasik or get contacts to fit properly so now I wear mutlifocals. By the way I can relate to what you say about swimming and have bumped into the swimmer's feet ahead of me in the lane a number of times.
Yeah, sometimes you just have to give in and get the glasses and be grateful we can actually get them. We could be stuck like many in other parts of the world who do not have glasses as an option. 🙂
I had good eyesight when I was younger but eventually began to wear glasses and then for 20 years contacts, but my eyes became too dry and contacts irritated my eyes so I went back to wearing glasses. It was vanity as much as anything else. I made the big decision to wear glasses again all dressed in my finery for a spectacular wedding. Do you think anyone noticed? Of course not! Here is a quote I like a lot: "“Vitality is not only the ability to persist, but in the ability to start over"…F. Scott Fitzgerald
Luckily I've kept my visions so I can't commiserate on that :)… however, I do like the quote a lot because it just shows the importance of seeing life as an optimist!
Absolutely!
I had good eyesight when I was younger but eventually began to wear glasses and then for 20 years contacts, but my eyes became too dry and contacts irritated my eyes so I went back to wearing glasses. It was vanity as much as anything else. I made the big decision to wear glasses again all dressed in my finery for a spectacular wedding. Do you think anyone noticed? Of course not! Here is a quote I like a lot: "“Vitality is not only the ability to persist, but in the ability to start over"…F. Scott Fitzgerald
I think we are too focused on what we think people will see when they look at us versus what they really care about when they look at us. Most people do not care if you wear glasses. These days glasses are even a fashion statement.
I'm glad the lasik worked for you! I wear goggles on top of my contacts when I swim, but it's not perfect. Water sometimes gets in.
I remember when I got glasses in 5th grade I could see the leaves on the trees. But I hated the glasses. So even though I could see, I wasn't that happy.
Yeah, I had mixed reactions when I first got glasses too. Now I don't care. I just want to be able to see. 🙂