Blind Sound

So its been over a month (probably over two months but I lost count) since I broke my glasses and have resorted to a combination of wearing contact lenses and squinting and stumbling to get by. Of course, I got a number of criticisms - one person said I was probably just straining my eyes more than I needed to, another said I should start a charitable fund, and someone even gave me a chopstick to tape to the side so that I would have something to hold what was left of my glasses up. Either way,all just flat out said "Dude, get your glasses fixed."

However, there is something different when you can't see. Over this time of barely being able to see 2 feet in front of me, I've gained a new sense of awareness really. No, I'm not like Daredevil and can close my eyes and visualize everything based upon vibrations and sound waves. But I have realized just how sight is a factor among all things. Many times we are focused on what's in our line of sight but when you take that away to some degree you actually "see" more. I've seen my behavior change where my attention and focus has shifted from sight to sound and it has revealed to me a number of things I was not aware of before. When out and about in the city streets it was things no longer "caught my eye" but rather sounds "caught my ear," as awkward as that may seem. Now I'll know the presence of people loitering before I even see them, I'll know when a college student approaches from the vernacular and energy of their voice, I'll know people in a rush by the sound of their feet hitting hte ground. Not to say I haven't been able to decipher such things from sounds before but they've been put more so in the forefront. Another interesting development is that with my sight reduced to a point where I can't clearly see one's face I instead recognize people by other manenrisms, the way they walk, their voice. Strangely enough, I've realized more characteristics of people that were not as obvious when I just focused on them with my eyes.

Trust me, as a guy who tends to realize even the smallest insignificant details, that's saying a lot.

And don't worry, I'm in the works of getting a new pair of glasses.