I need reading glasses
The past few weeks I noticed I am finding it hard to read the fine print in most medicine bottles. And also the fine print in most forms. Next week I will have to buy myself reading glasses. A sign of old age but I am still lucky because my younger sibling sported glasses while still a teenager.
Seeing is important. Both with eyes and the heart. One is empirical in a sense something we learned from the hilosophers and Scientists from Ancient Times. To observe is to learn. And you learn a lot of things by just observing, which actually seeing, hearing and using our other senses. And then there is seeing with the heart, A phrase borrowed from Antoine de Saint-Exupery, “And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye..”.
Taken from the book called The Little Prince. It is a book I highly recommend you read. There are probably several copies about.
And seeing with our eyes and hearts we can often generally discern whether our loved ones - may they be friends or family is in pain or is in trouble. And more often it also pains you to see this. Specially, if the friend or loved one decides to keep it to himself or herself. All you can do is wait till your needed and/or subtlely tell the person that you are there - ready.
I am just here is the phrase I think.
And that in a sense is one of the essensce of friendships - which can exsist between friends and family members. And this reminds me of Saint-Exupery’s book and one of the more poignant passages contained within.
Just that,” said the fox. “To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world . . .
and further down…
My life is very monotonous,” the fox said. “I hunt chickens; men hunt me. All the chickens are just alike, and all the men are just alike. And, in consequence, I am a little bored. But if you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music, out of my burrow. And then look: you see the grain-fields down yonder? I do not eat bread. Wheat is of no use to me. The wheat fields have nothing to say to me. And that is sad. But you have hair that is the color of gold. Think how wonderful that will be when you have tamed me! The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat . . .
Ah the problem and joy of taming and being tamed. What a nice euphemism for Friendship.
