I wore glasses all my life. That is until I was going through my divorce. I decided I needed change...as if I didn't already have enough changes taking place. So I got contacts. When you have seen yourself in glasses everyday of your life since you were 11 years old it takes getting used to seeing your face without them. Since then I have only worn my glasses when my eyes are tired or when I first wake up in the morning. Well, this morning I dropped my right contact and even though I looked and looked I couldn't spot it anywhere. My left and right prescriptions are different and I only had one of the left contacts extra. That meant I had to wear my glasses to work today.
No one seemed to notice until the day was half over. But I did. Everytime I went to the restroom and saw my reflection in the mirror I was reminded of the way I used to feel....not look, but how I used to feel. Not confident or assertive or upbeat. My eyes were downcast and my head was bent. I felt subservient and depressed. That is how I felt most of my married life. What a revelation. Thank goodness my eye appointment was already scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.
So how about you? Have you ever found yourself looking squarely into your past and not liking what you saw?
I think I saved every pair of glasses I have ever worn.
Those look quite a bit like my past glasses life. I started wearing them at age 12 in 1968. I went through the John Lennons, the Elton Johns, the intellectual hornrims and the new bright narrows. Thankfully, I've been wearing contacts most days since I was 26. My ears are uneven and glasses give me that dorky look!
ReplyDeleteI didn't really become my better self until the last five years. I finally become brave enough and wise enough to feel comfortable in my own skin.
Steviewren, this is a unique post. What a challenging question.
ReplyDeleteI would like to say that I am in awe of all your old glasses that are still intact. I have either lost or broken every single pair of glasses I've ever owned.
The question you pose, I can answer, "yes". Of course. I positively cringe when I think back to my callow youth, and some of the escapades, the dramas, the incidents, oh dear. Who was that person, how embarrassing that it was me!?
I started nodding when I read this post.. not nodding off, but nodding in agreement. I feel very much the same way in glasses. Insecure, conspicuous and unattractive. I don't even own a pair of back-up glasses which I realize is not wise.
ReplyDeleteAs for your collection - since they're wrought with ill-feelings for you, why not donate them? It would make a huge positive difference to someone in need.
OMG! I've worn glasses since I was 7 so I could have written this too, Steviewren! I've worn contacts since I was 14. Lately I've been wearing my glasses more and more as my eyes are getting dry and the contacts aren't comfortable. I do hate myself in glasses though, so I take them off for every photograph ... lol...see the vanity in that?
ReplyDeleteMy daughter got Lasix surgery a few months ago and went from a +900 myopia to 20/25! It is life altering, and she is very happy she did it. I was worried about it as I've read mixed reviews, but she chose a top doctor and had it done in a top NYC hospital and so far no complications or side effects.
Wow! Very insightful. I actually feel the same way when I wear my glasses out in public. I think it has something to do with having to wear glasses when I was a young teen and very over weight. I still can't shack that same fell of embarrassment.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that you have had that many pairs of glasses it is amazing! I think I am only on my third pair of 16 years of wearing glasses!
Hi Steviewren! Thanks so very much for your king comments in my blog! I love its! wonderful post!thanks so much for sharing! Also my dear you have just been tagged by me, please come over for the details and play with us. xoxo
ReplyDeletei started wearing glasses in college and have never tried contacts. maybe i just don't know what i'm missing but i just don't want or need one more thing to have to do in order to get ready in the morning. i took my glasses off at work one day to scratch my eye and a co-worker said, "oh, you're one of those people who look BETTER with glasses!!" i wasn't sure whether that was a compliment or what. which brings me to your question. i really, really like myself so much better now than i did for a long time. i've given up on worrying about what others think of me and it is so refreshing!!
ReplyDeleteWillow, Julie, Hillary, Pat and Lavinia don't you think feeling better about yourself is one of the things that getting older is good for? You really don't care what people think anymore...either they like you warts and all or they don't. At least that is what old age has done good for me...now if you want to talk the down side...I am so tired of having aches and pains. UGH! (and I'm not even old yet...must take more of that wonder drug...Excedrin!
ReplyDeleteHillary, when I assembled all of the old glasses I thought the same thing...how many people could see today if I hadn't been so nostalgic.
Pat, I too have thought of Lasix but if I had that kind of money (which I don't) I wouldn't get my eyes fixed. I would spend it all to be able to travel somewhere fabulous while wearing my Wal-mart clothes and old glasses. lol, just me!
Rachel, you are beautiful, never think you are anything but that. If necessary never put those glasses on again! Love, Mom
So very interesting and very true! I totally agree! I've had contacts since I was 14 years old. They have been bothering me more and more each year with my allergies and I just decided a few weeks ago that enough is enough...I'm saving my pennies for the Lasik surgery! But if I had to choose between contacts or glasses, it would be contacts for sure! ....just for the self esteem aspect that you are talking about here! Not to mention, my face feels greasy with them slipping on my nose! ha-ha!
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about this post a lot all day. I have often looked back into my past and not liked what I saw -- praise God that He constantly refining us, making us more like Him!
ReplyDeleteI regret all the years I spent not liking my hair. I know that sounds silly, most people would die to have a head full of thick red hair. While I've always loved its color I've never liked how hard it is to tame the poofiness, waviness, and frizz. It has only been in the past few years that I've learned to love my hair the way it is. I guess I finally accepted that I'll never have smoothe, sleek hair and that's okay.
Betsy, sweat dripping off my glasses...yeah I can do without that! I went to the eye doc today. He gave me a pair of contacts that are supposed to be 5xs more hydrated or something like that...more comfy. I'll let you know.
ReplyDeleteMod girl, God has done a bit of refining here...sure I need much more. (whispering because I'm not ready for the fire yet...as if He listens to me about His timetable).
I had hair issues when I was young too. My hair had a natural wave that wasn't easy to tame especially since the hairstyle of my youth was board straight. But styles come and go and sometimes my hair has been in style and sometimes not...but hair products and flattening irons are now my close friends.
I know. I saw your post after I had done mine and I laughed. Your stash of glasses looks about like mine. Don't you love the huge ones? LOL.
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
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i've been wearing glasses for forever, it seems! Would love to but can't wear contacts as my eyes get so dry, I'm a blinking idiot the rest of the time - so I gave up. Lasik is so tempting & yet so scary for me so I don't I would ever dare. Thank you too for coming by!
ReplyDeleteI got my first pair of glasses when I turned 40 and its something I fight against constantly. I'm always breaking them. Sitting on them, dropping and stepping on them, losing them..... So I have no old pairs intact.
ReplyDeleteAs far as looking back...oh boy, lets just say I'm a better person now than I was then....I think. Lessons learned, growing backbone, growing more tactful, being more comfortable in my own skin.
One last thing. I hate the way glasses steam up. I used to love reading in the bath but not anymore. Using woodcutting machinery with a mask on steams up my glasses and it's downright dangerous!