New Glasses

I remember getting into several fights as a child. I do not recall the reasons behind most of them. Knowing me, I was probably the cause of most of them, probably said something stupid. I was a small farsighted kid. Many times, I would hand my glasses to someone to hold before throwing a punch. Other times, my parents would pick me up from school with the remnants of what used to be eyeglasses in my metal lunch kit as I shook the box so they could hear the soon to be replaced remains.

As I grew older, I went through a time where I no longer needed glasses. My eyes were changing.

As a teenager, I was driving my mom around and ran three stop signs. She questioned me as to the reason why and I simply responded with, “what stop signs?” Shortly after, my parents brought me to the optometrist. My dad pointed to a sign on the door across the waiting room, and I could not even see a sign, much less than read what it said.

I walked out with a prescription for new glasses to correct my shortsighted vision. I was amazed at what I could see. Things at a distance were now clear. I thought everyone saw things far away, as I did, fuzzy and unclear.

Just over 30 years later, my eye doctor informed me, I need bifocals. I can still read without my glasses, but with them, I read clearer.

Seeing things clearly is a wonderful thing. I no longer run stop signs. I can now see the words on a sign and not just the frame of the sign. There is nothing wrong with getting help to see things better.

I wish everyone could see clearly and not just physically.

People talk about being optimists, but some are positive only when things are going their way. Others are positive regardless of the situation. Some are always negative. None of us can be right one hundred percent of the time. Sometimes we need help to see things more clearly.

I know what I believe and why I believe it. However, I have heard differing opinions that revealed some errors in my thinking. When proven wrong, I have changed my opinion.  Being stubborn to other beliefs keeps us blind. Not being emotional or hardheaded breaks barriers and often results in a clearer vision.

Arguments never help anyone, but honest and open discussions may. You never know who may help your vision become clearer. Do not believe everyone or everything without knowing all of the facts but listen to others. It has taken me many years to listen to some, but I enjoy being able to see. My hearing has cleared some of my vision.

TRUTH OR DARE

Some people enjoy games, such as truth or dare. Some do not mind answering questions like “What is your biggest fear in a relationship?” Others love the adventurous nature of the “dare” side of the game, like calling up your crush and declaring your love for him/her.

I am not a fan of this game. The reason is simple. I do not trust people enough to let the warped minds of others dictate what I do. My mind can come up with enough things for me to do to get into trouble.

As far as truth is concerned, if you were worried about letting your skeletons out of the closet, you are probably not playing the game. Everyone has their secrets, and no game will force them to tell you.  

I try to tell the truth all of the time. My life is an open book. If you want to know something, ask. My wife does not always like this part of my personality. She has to be certain to remind me, “This is not for public knowledge.”

I seem to have a reputation for being honest. I remember a time when I saw a young woman I know walking out of a building with her husband. She spotted me and told her husband to wait just a moment. She came all the way across the room and asked me what I thought of her hair. I told her my opinion and then asked why she walked away from her husband just to ask me that question. Her response was that I was the only one she knew that would really tell her the truth. I thought this was a sad commentary on the people around us.

What ever happened to honesty?

All I see on social media is lies told in memes, “news stories”, and in people’s comments. It seems that people do not want the truth. They only want to believe their point of view regardless of facts. They believe all sorts of incorrect reporting but disregard the truth if it goes against what they want to believe.

Most people claiming to be open-minded are extremely close-minded unless you agree with them. No one likes to be wrong, but sometimes we are. When truth comes out against our point of view, should we not change our point of view? This depends on the source of the “truth.” Some of our sacred “credible” sources are just biased. Adding opinions and interpretations to facts can distort the truth.

People say,” do not believe everything you read (or hear).” Jokes are sarcastically told like “it was on the internet, it must be true.” Yet, people still believe every picture with added words that someone made up on the internet and every article written that coincides with their belief system.

We need to check our sources. We need to seek truth. We need to be more open-minded to the confirmed facts. Differing opinions are not always wrong. Practice telling the truth, but do so in a loving way.

I say all this, but the truth remains, “this is America (or whatever country in which you are living). You have the right to be wrong.”