, , , perhaps, toappreciatelittlethatwhichwehaveandtolongforthatwhichwehavenot, butitisagreatpitythatintheworldoflightthegiftofsightisusedonlyasamereconveniencesratherthanasameansofaddingfullnesstolife.
IfIwerethepresidentofauniversityIshouldestablishacompulsorycoursein "HowtoUseYourEyes"..
PerhapsIcanbestillustratebyimaginingwhatIshouldmostliketoseeifIweregiventheuseofmyeyes, say, , supposeyou, too, -comingdarknessofthethirdnightyouknewthatthesunwouldneverriseforyouagain, howwouldyouspendthosethreepreciousinterveningdays? Whatwouldyoumostwanttoletyourgazerestupon?
I, naturally, , too, wouldwanttoletyoureyesrestonthethingsthathavebecomedeartoyousothatyoucouldtakethememoryofthemwithyouintothenightthatloomedbeforeyou.
If, bysomemiracle, Iweregrantedthreeseeingdays, tobefollowedbyarelapseintodarkness, Ishoulddividetheperiodintothreeparts.
TheFirstDay
Onthefirstday, , , , sothatIcouldcherishitinmymemory, , andthatcompassionforallhumanitywhichshehasrevealedtomesooften.
Idonotknowwhatitistoseeintotheheartofafriendthroughthat "windowofthesoul", "see" , sorrow, , ofcourse, throughothermeans, throughthethoughtstheyexpresstome, , throughwatchingtheirreactionstovariousexpressedthoughtsandcircumstances, throughnotingtheimmediateandfleetingreactionsoftheireyesandcountenance.
FriendswhoareneartomeIknowwell, becausethroughthemonthsandyearstheyrevealthemselvestomeinalltheirphases; butofcasualfriendsIhaveonlyanincompleteimpression, animpressiongainedfromahandclasp, fromspokenwordswhichItakefromtheirlipswithmyfingertips, orwhichtheytapintothepalmofmyhand.
Howmucheasier, howmuchmoresatisfyingitisforyouwhocanseetograspquicklytheessentialqualitiesofanotherpersonbywatchingthesubtletiesofexpression, thequiverofamuscle, ? Donotmostofyouseeingpeoplegraspcasuallytheoutwardfeaturesofafaceandletitgoatthat?
Forinstancecanyoudescribeaccuratelythefacesoffivegoodfriends? someofyoucan, , Ihavequestionedhusbandsoflongstandingaboutthecoloroftheirwives'eyes, , incidentally, itisachroniccomplaintofwivesthattheirhusbandsdonotnoticenewdresses, newhats, andchangesinhouseholdarrangements.
Theeyesofseeingpersonssoonbecomeaccustomedtotheroutineoftheirsurroundings, "eyewitnesses" "seen" , butfewseeeverythingthatiswithintherangeoftheirvision.
Oh, thethingsthatIshouldseeifIhadthepowerofsightforjustthreedays!
, , too, onthefaceofababy, sothatIcouldcatchavisionoftheeager, innocentbeautywhichprecedestheindividual'sconsciousnessoftheconflictswhichlifedevelops.
AndIshouldliketolookintotheloyal, trustingeyesofmydogs—thegrave, cannylittleScottie, Darkie, andthestalwart, understandingGreatDaneHelga, whosewarm, tender, andplayfulfriendshipsaresocomfortingtome.
