24 Jun 2015

Wearing My Husband's Eyes




I needed new disposable contact lenses so I grabbed the receipt from the last time I ordered some and headed online. I found a website selling what I wanted, entered all my prescription details very carefully, and double checked them before clicking 'pay now'. Then I waited.

A week or so later, a little package landed in our mailbox. “New lenses!” I cried. “Now I'll see better. The world will look crisper and clearer.”

I inserted the small soft lenses and then looked around. And the world wasn’t crisp and clear at all. It was very blurry, and I couldn’t understand why.

And then it hit me: When ordering the lenses, I’d used my husband Andy’s prescription, not mine. I was wearing his contact lenses. I was looking at the world through his eyes.

Andy was very pleased with my ordering mistake. “New lenses!” he said. “What a surprise!”

I had a surprise this morning. Andy gave me a huge hug before he left for work and said, “Happy Anniversary!”

“It’s not our anniversary,” I sleepily replied.

“Yes, it is.”

“Are you sure? Isn’t it on Friday?”

“We got married on my Dad’s birthday, the 24th June.”

I thought about this for a moment and then said, “You’re right!”

Andy laughed. “This is a first. It’s usually me who forgets our anniversary.” He didn’t seem at all upset by my failure to remember. In fact, he thought it was very funny.

So today is our wedding anniversary. Thirty-two years ago, Andy slipped a gold ring onto my finger, and we became husband and wife, and I thought we’d live happily ever after. But it didn't work out that way. Our life together has contained much more suffering than I ever expected. It's just as well I never knew what was ahead of us. I'd have been too frightened to marry Andy if I'd known about the difficult times we'd have to endure. No, as a young bride, I wanted happiness, not pain. 

And we have been happy. There's no doubt about that. Over the years, we've shared a lot of fun and laughter and special moments. We enjoy our life together immensely. Yes, God sends us many happy days. But He hasn't prevented suffering from touching us. And unexpectedly, this has been a blessing. It has been the trials of life, and not the happy times, which have bonded us together and taught us the true meaning of love.

So Andy and I are about to begin another year together. The adventure continues. There will be more tough times ahead, I'm sure. But that's okay. There will also be a lot more love. 

This morning I had my eyesight tested before ordering yet more contact lenses.

“Your eyes have improved slightly!” said the optometrist.

Improved? I smiled. My eyesight is getting better as I get older, unlike the rest of me which is slowly falling apart. I don't suppose it matters that I'm not as good looking as I used to be. When Andy looks at me, he doesn’t see my flaws. He still thinks I’m as beautiful as the day he married me. 

Why don't I see myself as he does? Is it because Andy can't see properly? Perhaps he needs stronger contact lenses. No. His eyesight is fine. I don't see myself as beautiful because I'm not wearing my husband's eyes.  

Andy looks at me through his eyes of love.


Happy Anniversary, Andy.


16 comments:

  1. Oh, Mum! I would have wished you a happy anniversary when I called yesterday, had I only known! I'm going to do my best to remember the date from now on! I love you, congratulations on 32 years of marriage! You are an inspiration to me, xxx.

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    1. Felicity,

      I would have mentioned our anniversary to you yesterday if I'd remembered! For some reason I thought it was on Friday. Dad thought it was very funny I'd got the days wrong. Usually, he does silly things like that, not me. Thank you so much for your kind words and congratulations. I love you too! xxxx

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  2. Such a sweet post! Happy anniversary!

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    1. Thank you, Anne. I appreciate you stopping by!

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  3. Happy anniversary! It's a good month for weddings. (Our 21st anniversary is tomorrow.)
    And I'll be getting my eyes checked on Monday. My eyes are most definitely not getting better with age. :)
    If only we all could see ourselves through eyes of love...

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    1. Christine,

      Happy anniversary to you and your husband! Your 21st? That's very special. I hope you're having a wonderful celebration. Oh I do like your last sentence. It made me think of the way God sees us. If only we could see ourselves the way He does!

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  4. Lovely! Congratulations!! I feel much the same: if you had told me the future on our wedding day, I would have been too frightened to marry, and I would have missed so much joy, understanding, and love! Looking back now, I shudder to think what my life would have been like if it had gone according to my (suffering free) plan.

    The contact lenses story made me laugh! We both wear glasses, so it's easier to try out the others eyes (by accidentally picking up the wrong glasses since you can't see because you don't have your glasses on). His stronger eye is my weaker, and vice versa, which is great metaphorically, but neither of us can see with each others glasses. :)

    Have a wonderful anniversary! I'll say my Rosary for you both today!

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    1. Wendy,

      Thank you for your congratulations. I was also thinking about what I would have missed out on if I'd been too afraid to marry. Isn't it strange how we can think our plans for our lives are the best and then later on be so grateful God had other ideas? I remember feeling so angry with God after Thomas died. I'd given my life to Him and look what had happened! My plan would have been so much better. Of course, I changed my mind about that! I wouldn't really want to be in control. I'd make a total mess of everything!

      Now it's my turn to laugh over your glasses story. Andy and I sometimes share reading glasses. I can see through his which is very convenient because I often lose mine!

      Thank you so much for the Rosary. You are very kind! I remember you and your family in my prayers too.

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  5. Congratulations on 32 years! This is a beautiful post... and I love the title (you come up with the BEST TITLES!)

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    1. Nancy,

      Thank you for the congratulations! I had to do some mental maths to check the number of years we've been married. 32 sounded far too many. But that number is correct. We must be getting old! I'm glad you liked the post title. I had a more sensible one, but then decided to go with the fun one!

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  6. How sweet with your last line about Andy looking at you through the eyes of love :) Happy anniversary to you, Sue and Andy! Wishing you many more years together. It is so good that God does not give us the details of our lives, especially our married lives. I'm sure if he did, no one would ever get married and then what would that do to the human population? It is always good that he is there faithful by us as we journey through life with the ones we love.

    betty

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    1. Betty,

      Oh yes, we'd all be far too frightened to get married if we knew what was ahead of us. You are so right: God is faithful! To be honest, I didn't really consider God's role in our lives when we first got married. I thought I could do things on my own. With time, we learn! Thank you so much for stopping by with your congratulations.

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    1. Grace,

      Thank you! I'm so glad you stopped by.

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  8. Happy Anniversary, Sue & Andy! Here's to another adventure around the sun full of love, joy, and wonder!

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    1. Susie,

      Thank you! Another adventure around the sun full of love, joy, and wonder? Oh, that sounds wonderful! I do like the thought of doing that with Andy!

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