This is Pastor Tim’s article which appeared in the Evening Leader on Monday, May 10, 2021
I am 46 years old and I had to do something that most 46 year olds have to do; I went to St Marys Family Eye Care to be fitted for a pair of glasses. I have worn glasses earlier in my life. In fact, there was a point where I was legally blind my vison was so bad. However, I had Lasik surgery in 2001 and have enjoyed better than 20/20 vision until about last year. My eyes are still very healthy, but the muscle that contracts my lens is getting tired and doesn’t contract properly anymore.
So because of this lazy muscle, I am back in glasses after 20 years. The biggest struggle I had was during church. You see, I can see distance, and I can see close up, the problem I have is I can’t do both. When I am leading the congregation, I can’t simultaneously read my notes on the pulpit and see the congregation. It was frustrating to feel like I am preaching to the pulpit because that is all I can see.
I got fitted with a huge pair of glasses (think Clark Kent, for those of you who know who he is). Since I have bifocals, I have to move my head around to be able to see whatever it is I am looking at. It is kind of a trip to get the glasses pointed in such a way that I am looking through the correct part of the lens to focus on whatever it is I am trying to look at. I am concerned someone is going to think there is something wrong with my neck.
As I walked back to Wayne Street UMC from the eye doctor’s office with the glasses on for the first time, I was actually sad. When I was younger, I could see without glasses just as clearly as I can see now with glasses. I feel like I got a little older with these things on my face. I thank God for having them and Family Eye Care was beyond wonderful to me for fitting them and taking good care of me. But I am sorry to let a little bit of youthfulness go because this is a sign of old age. This isn’t a lens problem that could happen at any age, this is strictly me showing my age. I keep looking in the mirror and wondering who that guy is looking back. I’m not sure if that is because I look different with glasses, or I just couldn’t see myself before getting them.
Even though it is a little wound to my pride to wear these glasses, I have to say how blessed I am. Back when my lenses were not right prior to surgery in 2001, I had 20/900 vision. What that means is what I could see clearly at 20 feet away, a person who had perfect vision could see that same thing clearly from 900 feet away. If I lived before corrective lenses and surgery, I would have been blind my whole life. It got so bad that I was afraid to walk around my house without my glasses or contacts because I was afraid I would fall.
How many of us take glasses for granted? Ask someone who has lost his or her vision. It is truly a gift from God to be able to see, and to be able to see clearly is an unfathomable blessing. For most of human history, I would not have been able to hunt, fish, or anything else to keep me alive. But now, because of the miracle of modern vision correction, what would have been a fatal birth defect has become a minor nuisance. I am counting my blessings.
While I am not happy about having to wear these things on my face, I am so thankful that I have them so that I can continue to see. I am blessed beyond words.
Have you thought about how many things God gave us in this world that we completely take for granted?