I had an eye appointment yesterday at the University.  One of those appointments where you see three different people before you get t the specialists.  They were great there – just a lot of waiting.

In my second waiting room (with my phone up to my face because my eyes were so dilated) a woman with a wheel-type walker came in.  Her eyes looked closed and she was with another woman.  They both were pretty young … well they looked younger than me.

As I was reading something on my phone, I laughed out loud. The woman with the closed eyes said, “Tell me what’s so funny!”  I looked up and realized she couldn’t see me.

We started chatting, kids (hers a bit older than mine),  menopause (universal woman’s topic) and that as a Native American, she’s got the added advantage of not growing hair on her body (don’t ask me how we got to the hair discussion!).  Then, she told me that she started losing her sight six months ago and now it’s gone.

How do you respond to something like that?  I told her how sorry I was.  She told me not to be.  She said that the love and support she’s had in the last six months – amazing.  That she’s experienced things – sensations – that she said were “g*d given.”  I asked her if she was scared.  She said no.  Then she said yes.  Yes, she was scared about what could happen to her children because now she can’t see them.  I felt sick to my stomach.  I just can’t imagine.

Her sister was there helping her.   Another beautiful woman with long dark hair, smiling with love as she listened to her older sibling talk.

What can I say about this?  We take our trials in life and we either do something good with them or we grow bitter.  And, although she told me she does has some days where she feels down, I could see that she clearly was about embracing the change.

It was nice experience.  We just can’t get enough reminders to be thankful for what we have.  Plus, I never knew that Native Americans had such a great deal with the lack of body hair!  It just goes to show that they are way more advanced than some others of us, who are still trying new (and creative) ways to get rid of that hair!!!

Have a wonderful day!