When I think
of things I’m thankful for, most are things that are visible to the eye. Yet if
I were blind would I be thankful for the same things?
Helen Keller said, “I who am blind can give one hint to those who see: Use your eyes as if
tomorrow you would be stricken blind. And the same method can be applied to the
other senses. Hear the music of voices, the song of a bird, the mighty strains
of an orchestra, as if you would be stricken deaf tomorrow. Touch each object
as if tomorrow your tactile sense would fail. Smell the perfume of flowers,
taste with relish each morsel, as if tomorrow you could never smell and taste
again. Make the most of every sense; glory in the beauty of the world in all
the facets of pleasure reveals to you through the several means of contact
which Nature provides. But of all the senses, I am sure that sight is the most
delightful.”
If I had only 5 days to see, this is what I’d
choose to notice. On day one I would look into the face of a new baby. I’d sit
quietly and marvel at the beauty of this fascinating creation. On day two I’d
get up early to see the sunrise. I’d marvel at God’s work in nature and finish
my day with a glorious sunset. On day
three I’d sit in an old hot truck and watch the combine make its way through the
golden wheat field. I’d be covered in wheat dust and chew on the grain until it
became gum. On day four I’d memorize the faces of loved ones and friends. I’d
commit to memory the laugh lines around my husband’s eyes. I’d cherish the
sight of pudgy toddler hands. On day five I’d sit on the beach with my feet
buried in the cool sand. I’d watch the waves slap the shore and wonder where
they go once they’ve reached the edge.
For today,
I am very thankful.
