“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision”
- Helen Keller
This quote provides a grand distinction between having sight, and having vision. Sight is often coupled with things like wisdom, truth, and knowledge, comparably, the condition of blindness is often seen as futile. Sight is a function of the eyes, something Helen Keller did not have. Vision is a function of the mind. It is a portion of the mind that allows us to plan and imagine, and it requires no sight. Having a vision is important as it helps you recognize what you wish to accomplish, and through this recognition you can inspire, and guide yourself in the right direction. Having vision is important as it instills hope, creates expectations, and compels you to keep going.
This notion of considering being blind as a condition that is not as bad as having sight without vision is so impactful because of the implications. Helen Keller accomplished so many things under circumstances that one might see as nonviable. She was blind, and deaf, but she had vision, and that vision took her from a place of hopelessness to a place of endless potential. This quote puts into perspective that there are many of us who do have the gift of sight and take it for granted. We simply see, we don’t use it to enhance or shape our vision. Some of us don’t even have something that serves as an objective We have sight, but we have limited thinking, which in turn limits our vision. Through this quote I understand that it is better to rely on what you can discern, combined with imaginative thinking, versus what you can plainly see. The visions we all have the potential to produce are much deeper, and more encompassing, than what we can see with just our eyes.
Thank you to www.marveloptics.com for providing this opportunity to share my thoughts and for providing a prompt that reminded me to keep not only my eyes, but my mind open.
