In 2016 a blind man waited patiently in the book signing queue. “I’m Blind Al” he said “And I have practised Buddhism for many years and I’ve written a short poem and I would like to read it to you.” This is what he said
“The truth of the matter is
(And it’s plain as day to me)
I have more vision now
Than when I could see”
I am having trouble seeing so recently I attended the Optometry Department at University of Manchester for a free eye examination. Catherine Porter PhD MCOptom SFHEA PGCertHE is the Senior Lecturer in Optometry “Our MSci course is unique. Every year 4 students are selected to take part in our program. The first 3 years are similar to the normal optometry programme, however we organise their practice placements. They do 2 x 5 month placements in amazing optometry practices and hospitals in the UK. They return to us for the final clinical exams. We can then enter them onto the GOC register. This means we are the only registrable optometry degree in the UK. A fact we are very proud of”.
Is my sight mostly connected to what I choose to look at rather than what I see because when asked to read simple letters on a screen I reach the limitation, the boundary, of the physical workings of my eyes. This photograph – the one below – is the first time I have seen inside my eye. I have seen the outside many times, in the mirror, but that is reflection. I’ve never seen my eyes with my own eyes. None of us have. I guess we all need each other to see each other. We are built that way. We share what we see and then we see what’s there. I dunno. I wrote a poem called WASITA. I was only twenty when I wrote it. It’s short so I think I’ll share it.
Loved this Lemn – thank you. Timely too as I was taking with a patient today about how she feels she’s lost her ‘minds eye’ following her brain injury. She can’t conjure up pictures in her mind of people she loves or places she has visited. But she did tell me that she can still ‘see’ the beauty in her life and her recovery.
beautiful
many people with perfect eye sight fail to see the beauty around them,may they be gifted sooner of later with this blissful gift xxx
true – me too. I’m with you on that.
As one of Catherine’s “amazing” practices (her words not ours) we’d endorse the other way round, we think MANCHESTER Optometry is indeed visionary. BBR Optometry is very privileged to have had this association for more than a score of new graduates in Optometry. Great inspirational blog !