Sight

I went to a small college and commuted to classes each day.
I worked at a bank during college, so not living on campus allowed me to get to my job.
A continuing education program started while I was there.
Many older students came to class…also commuters…with lives beyond the classroom.

Such diverse backgrounds….such wisdom to be gleaned.
Women who had raised a family and came back to get their degree.
Others who had been in the workforce…finally getting the degree that eluded them.

One particular woman, who was in quite a few of my classes, happened to be blind.
She took notes on a Braille writer.
At first, it was difficult to get used to the distraction of the clicking sound of the stylus.
Soon, it became white noise, in the background, as we focused on the professor.

This woman intrigued me.
Our professor would give us a break in the middle of our class.
Stretch your legs…be back in ten minutes.

I would watch her get up from her desk…tap her cane…safely maneuver the rows of desks.
She would go down the hallway to the soda machine.
She put in her coins, counted off the number of squares, pushed the appropriate button.
Her soda would come tumbling down.

In one quick movement, she would tuck her cane under her arm and open her soda.
Then just as fast, she confidently walked down the hallway and back to class.

I didn’t know her well enough to ask her all the things I wanted to ask her.
Everyone admired her and respected her privacy.
All we knew was that she was a mother of a young daughter, and had a sighted husband.

There was a large university literally next door to my college.
We were able to take classes there if the particular class was not offered at our school.
I took advantage of that opportunity.

I decided to take a public speaking class.
I never minded speaking in front of people.
I did have one problem, however.
I tend to get very red!

I have my own personal barometer.
The redness starts at my neck and goes straight up to my cheeks.
Blotches…I always called it.

Maybe it is my fair, Irish skin…but all sorts of things cause me to turn red.
Nervousness, excitement, sadness, busyness…
My emotions are right on my neck and face…always!

This was the one thing I thought I could learn how to overcome in this class.
I walked into class the first day and saw the professor in front of the room.
He had such a commanding pose as he sat in his desk chair.

I didn’t know anyone, but everyone seemed very nice.
Some people were taking this class to fill up a vacant spot on their schedule.
Some, like me, really wanted to learn new techniques, to help them speak before a crowd.

Names were given.
No telling about yourself…that would be the first speech assignment.
I noticed the professor never made eye contact with anyone.
I knew that was important thing to do as you talk to others.
I didn’t know that the professor was blind!

How was I ever going to work on my red blotches, if he couldn’t see them?
That was actually a blessing, because calling attention to them, only made them worse!

I wrote and prepared quite a few speeches…and delivered them without much criticism.
One speech I wrote was a vignette on Murphy’s Law…as it played out in my life.
He asked me…Did anyone ever tell you that you are funny?
Interesting!

Then one day, it happened!
My turn to go up to the podium.
I laid my notes on the slanted surface.

I looked for that one face…the one with the smile…the one I could count on for feedback.
I glanced over at my professor and he was making a face.
I hadn’t even finished the first sentence of my speech.

M’lady…he said in his best Shakespearean accent.
M’lady…would you please take off your incessant bracelet!

Excuse me, sir?

Your bracelet…Do you know that you talk with your hands…quite a lot?
Do you know…every time you talk with your hands your bracelet clanks on the podium?
Do you know how distracting that is?

I took off my bracelet and put it on the podium and began to speak…redder than ever!
But he never knew THAT about me!

I thought of the blind woman in my classes and the click of her Braille writer.
I was always embarrassed that the sound of that instrument bothered me at first.
Now, I learned that the sound of my bracelet bothered my blind professor.
Imagine…

Years later, right before I got married, I was still working at the bank.
My public speaking professor came through the door.
I recognized him right away…and said hello without identifying myself at first.

M’lady…no bracelet, I hear…but the same perfume…I would know you anywhere!
Amazing!

He said, “Go and tell this people:
Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving. Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”  (Isaiah 6:9,10)

Lord Jesus…help me really see…through the eyes of faith.
Open my eyes so I may see those that are lost all around me.
Use me to bring Your Light to their eyes.