Unless a member of your family or a friend is blind you probably would have had little reason to be exposed to a marvelous organization called Lighthouse for the Blind. During my formative years my parents supported this charitable organization with regular contributions. I’m not really sure how they came to be involved, but they were.
Well, yesterday I provided transportation, through volunteering for the American Cancer Society, for their receptionist. She is a cancer survivor and needed to have her annual check-up. She and her husband are both blind and are both employed at the Lighthouse. He teaches computer skills for the blind. What a fantastic organization that provides a full range of living skills for those who happen to find themselves without the gift of sight.
Yesterday’s connection reminded me of one of my favorite stories. I’ve used it regularly in many of my teaching and preaching opportunities. It is a story from the life of one of my sheros, Helen Keller.
Ms. Keller was visiting one of our college campuses. After her presentation she opened up the session for a Q & A. Sometime during this dialogue a college student stood and asked her, with some sensitivity, if it was so bad to be blind. She responded, “No, it isn’t so bad to be blind than to have two good eyes and see nothing.”
So much of life is taken for granted. It passes us and we either simply do not see it or, even worse, we fail to recognize just how marvelous it all is. Even though we have two good eyes, we see nothing. At its best, life is short … too short … and, at least for me, I really do not want to miss any of it, but sadly I do.
Dear Lord, open my eyes that I might see; open my ears that I might hear; open my mind that I might understand; open my heart that I might feel; open my soul that I might experience all that you are sending my way. Amen.
Quote for today: “Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore, seek not to understand that thou mayest believe, but believe that thou mayest understand." St. Augustine
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