Glasses, who needs glasses?

I remember going to the eye doctor at age 42. Then 43. Then 44. Each year I got the same message. “Once again, you have cheated reading glasses.”

I was smug. Oh yeah. Look at me. I don’t need reading glasses. Somehow I decided that still made me young. If my eyes are still young, the rest of me must be as well.

Then I turned 46. The first few months were good. Then it happened. I was reading and the letters no longer formed words, at least not from my vantage point. What happened? How had it happened? I believe the why was evident. I was getting old.

What was interesting is it wasn’t every day that my reading eyes failed me. As a matter of fact, I have my Bible opened next to me and I can see every word of Isaiah chapter 51 from a foot away, and no, it’s not large text. It’s itty-bitty tiny Bible print. But these days are now far and few between. It’s more often than not that my reading eyes refuse to cooperate.

When I first noticed my issue, I balked. I kicked. (Well, inwardly at least). I started wearing my glasses on a daily basis instead of my contacts, at least when I was home, as I could easily pull them off so I could read. For some reason, I can read just fine when my eyes are naked.

Vanity was at a full-scale war with necessity. Necessity won. I made my first trip to the dollar store to purchase my first pair of reading glasses. Now I’d done it. I’d gone and got old. I tried them on, peering into the mirror in the car while my husband’s cheeky grin almost got him a busted lip. “Don’t even start,” I warned him.

I deposited the glasses, case and all in the glove compartment of the car and conveniently forgot about them.

Fast forward a few months and I’m speaking for a group of ladies, attempting to read my Bible. Uh oh! Darn, why aren’t those glasses in my purse? Good thing I basically have the verses memorized. Whew!

One month later, it is now the exception (like today) that I can see to read without the glasses. On Sunday morning, I pulled them out of my purse, reluctantly, to see to read along with our Pastor. True, I could have read along on the big screen, but there is something about reading those verses straight from the book in your hands. I put them on and my husband leaned over and whispered. “Hey sexy.”

I grinned. I sat a little straighter as I perfected the technique of looking down through the glasses to read and looking above the rim to see what is happening around me. Something had changed. Instead of feeling old, I felt wise, like I had arrived. Yeah, I’m all that. The only thing that hadn’t changed was the fact I’m still dealing with my vanity! Ugh!