A change would do you good

I have been wearing glasses since 2003, mainly for working at the computer. Back when I first got tested, the optician had told me that I had an astigmatism and had I not been using the computer so often or reading so much, then I would not have even noticed it.

Due to a series of toddler related events, I was forced to replace my spectacles and, because they were about 15 years old and the frames were no longer manufactured, I had to get my eyes tested in order to get the new glasses.

In my mind my glasses were working fine. They aided my vision and shielded my eyes from strain. However, since I have gotten this new pair, I am realizing how much I was missing.

The new pair has improved my focus, reduced my eye strain even more, and increased my ability to read text on a screen, making reading e-books, web articles, and pdfs and typing on my lap top much easier. They have reduced the glare from screens and bright lights. In short, my new specs have enhanced my ability to receive visual stimuli and have significantly upgraded the way I move through the world.

I reflected on how something as simple as changing your glasses could impact your life. I reflected on how long I had been operating at a particular level that clearly was not the best level for me.

I recognized that at the heart of my reflection was the idea of change.

Sometimes we could get used to doing things a particular way, following a set routine, or living in a situation that is stagnating, but we are thinking that it works, so all is well and we are fine. Sometimes we become like the people in the proverbial Socratic cave, our backs bent and our necks stiff from years of carrying spiritual and physical burdens. We can only see what is straight ahead of us and we might not even be seeing that in its totality. We become comfortable in our current state, putting up with situations that we know deep within our psyche are not working out for us, but we are unwilling to move, because we have been lulled into complacency by the routine and the familiar.

Change is often uncomfortable, requiring effort and thought. Sometimes it is sudden and dramatic, other times it is incremental. It is, however, inevitable, regardless of our preparedness for it. Change can bring a new perspective, enabling you to see the world in a way you had not before.

Change requires an adjustment period, with this new pair of glasses, it is no different. I am getting used to how they sit on my face and how they impact the way I perceive the world, as well as how I am perceived by others. The adjustment period is understandable, especially after 15 years of wearing specs that had lost their strength or that could not keep up with the changing needs of my eyes. These are the inevitable growing pains that would eventually lead to brighter days.

Perhaps with a little self-reflection, all of us could identify an aspect of our lives that we think is working just fine, but maybe with a little tweak here, there or a complete overhaul, might lead to dramatic improvement. After all, it is like the singer Cheryl Crow says, “A change would do you good.”