New Perspective

Today I will spend my lunch hour picking out new glasses and putting an outrageous amount of money on my debit card. Thank God for flexible spending accounts! With my new look will come new vision. With my first and last pair of glasses I became aware that what I thought was normal vision wasn't and things I thought were clear were cloudy. And I didn't know it. This purchase will change that again, this time I am getting bifocals. I'm excited to see, I'm not excited for bifocals. I have vivid memories of my mom walking around the house with a 'I-just-got-bifocals-highstep' while muttering about feeling slightly nauseous. While this only lasted a few days and occurred almost 20 years ago, I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember my 20/20 vision self thinking that bifocals meant that you are OLD! And now my not-yet-40 self is getting some.

I could be vain and not wear the glasses I have, I passed my last driver's licence renewal without a vision restriction and I can see without them. But the books need to be further and further away when I read and I would be no help with a license plate number were I to witness a dramatic high speed car chase without them. I could keep wearing the glasses I have now. They are cute, kind of funky and comfortable. Cashiers at the grocery store and other random people still compliment me on them, and who has time to read that much anyway? Someone else could always hold a book for me, from way over there, so I could read it...


So I will get the bifocals. But, they will be the kind with no line in them because I don't want to look like I'm that old - you know, as old as my mom was 20 years ago and almost as old as I am now. As I think about what kind of glasses I want I'm finding it an interesting study in how I want to portray myself. You actually get to think about how you want others to see you. Should I go sans glasses and get contacts? My husband has to help me with eye drops (really) and I can't imagine putting anything else in my eyes. I'm sure he doesn't want to add that to his to-do list each morning and night.



Should I get funky glasses? Exactly how funky? Kind of fun, but not too bizarre - I don't want to draw too much attention, but funky glasses could be a fun accessory.



Should I get glasses that make me look studious? Really serious glasses with a heavy plastic frame... hair in a bun, scowl on my face, permanent frown lines...? If you Google 'horn rimmed glasses' you'll find these described as emo, I could be emo... Maybe not.


And then you get to choose if you want clip-ons to turn the glasses into sunglasses. Or transitions (one of the banes of the 80s, but really much better in the 21st century). Or anti-glare coating. Glass or plastic lenses? Sometimes you even get a fun case to put them in. So many choices. And it all costs something so you have to weight what you want against what you have in your wallet. How do I want to be perceived?

So I picked out glasses today. You'll have to wait and see what kind, maybe I'll post a picture. It's been fun and frustrating to decide on the glasses, such a little thing. But most of all, it's reminded me that other than my glasses, I have chances everyday to decide how I want people to perceive me. Every time I make a decision I get the opportunity to show the people around me who I am and more importantly who I represent. I hope I represent Jesus. I hope I wear love on the outside. I need to remember to count the cost of my actions. And I'm sad for all the times I know I show something else. How do people perceive you? What do they see?

And just for fun, here are some real beer gogglesand some glasses that include your third eye. I don't think I'll wear either of these.