My First Pair of Reading Glasses

 No one told me I would need reading glasses. I'm 48 years old and had NO clue this was something that almost everyone needed as they aged. I am the black sheep in a family where everyone wears glasses. For my entire life, I was lucky enough to be able to see just fine. I ate lots of carrots.

I noticed a few months ago I couldn't read the tiny instructions on the back of pill bottles. If I did try to read, my eyeballs would hurt. Still never crossed my mind that I would need glasses to aid me in reading. Then the blurriness grew to impacting when I would read books while brushing my teeth. (All my free time I try to devote to writing - or surfing the internet for little model horses -- that will be another posting.) So, I read while I brush my teeth with my electric toothbrush. And I couldn't see the words in my historical romance I was reading. Not fair!

 

Courtesy of Prevention.com 

 

One day I had stopped in a store for something and walked past their reading glasses fixture. My brain whispered to me to try a pair on. Ughh. I didn't want to put glasses on. In my mind, it was a sign of weakness, but I still reached out and picked a bright yellow pair and slid onto my head, settling them on my nose. When I looked out into the store, things were blurry and I breathed a sigh of relief. 

See, I didn't need glasses.

Then I saw the little card on the side of the fixture and suddenly the font was crystal clear. I lifted the glasses and the suggested prescription "fit" guide grew blurry. I slid the glasses down. CLEAR.

I was elated! Thirty seconds ago, I was ready to pump my hand in the air with the declaration that I don't need glasses. But I wouldn't have been able to see.

Now, the second eye opening fact of the day was when I turned to my eleven year old daughter and asked her how I looked and she screwed up her face and said, "I don't like how they look." Well, I don't either, I had to conclude, but to able to read clearly again and without eyeball pain, I might be willing to look uncool. 

One week later, I have three pairs of glasses spread around the house. One in bathroom, one in living room and one in purse. I need my readers to do anything closer than arm's length. I can see now and am somewhat more willing to acknowledge aging is something I must be willing to accept. I might not be happy with it, but I have to understand there's no way around it.

Happy reading!

Penny