假如给我三天光明（7）Mostofus?however?takelifeforgranted.Weknowthatonedaywemustdie?butusuallywepicturethatdayasfarinthefuture.Whenweareinbuoyanthealth?deathisallbutunimaginable.Weseldomthinkofit.Thedaysstretchoutinanendlessvista.Sowegoaboutourpettytasks?hardlyawareofourlistlessattitudetowardlife.Thesamelethargy?Iamafraid?characterizestheuseofallourlythedeafappreciatehearing?onlytheblindrealizethemanifoldblessingsthatlieinsight.Particularlydoesthisobservationapplytothosewhohavelostsightandhearinginadultlife.Butthosewhohaveneversufferedimpairmentofsightorhearingseldommakethefullestuseoftheseblessedfaculties.Theireyesandearstakeinallsightsandsoundshazily?withoutconcentrationandwithlittleappreciation.Itisthesameoldstoryofnotbeinggratefulforwhatwehaveuntilweloseit?ofnotbeingconsciousofhealthuntilweareill.Ihaveoftenthoughtitwouldbeablessingifeachhumanbeingwerestrickenblindanddeafforafewdaysatsometimeduringhisearlyadultlife.Darknesswouldmakehimmoreappreciativeofsight;silencewouldteachhimthejoysofsound.NowandthenIhavetestedmyseeingfriendstodiscoverwhattheysee.RecentlyIwasvisitedbyaverygoodfriendwhohadjustreturnedfromalongwalkinthewoods?andIaskedherwhatshehadobserved…“Nothinginparticular?”shereplied.ImighthavebeenincreduloushadInotbeenaccustomedtosuchreposes?forlongagoIbecameconvincedthattheseeingseelittle.Howwasitpossible?Iaskedmyself?towalkforanhourthroughthewoodsandseenothingworthyofnote?Iwhocannotseefindhundredsofthingstointerestmethroughmeretouch.Ifeelthedelicatesymmetryofaleaf.Ipassmyhandslovinglyaboutthesmoothskinofasilverbirch?ortherough?shaggybarkofapine.InthespringItouchthebranchesoftreeshopefullyinsearchofabudthefirstsignofawakeningNatureafterherwinter'ssleep.Ifeelthedelightful,velvetytextureofaflower?anddiscoveritsremarkableconvolutions;andsomethingofthemiracleofNatuasionally?ifIamveryfortunate?Iplacemyhandgentlyonasmalltreeandfeelthehappyquiverofabirdinfullsong.Iamdelightedtohavethecoolwatersofabrookrushthmealushcarpetofpineneedlesorspongygrassismorewelcomethanthemostlmethepageantofseasonsisathrillingandunendingdrama?theactionofwhichstreamsthroughmyfingertips.Attimesmyheartcriesoutwithlongingtoseeallthesethings.IfIcangetsomuchpleasurefrommeretouch?howmuchmorebeautymustberevealedbysight.Yet?thosewhohaveeyesapparentlyseelittle.Thepanoramaofcolorandactionwhichfillstheworldistakenforgranted.Itishuman?perhaps?toappreciatelittlethatwhichwehaveandtolongforthatwhichwehavenot?butitisagreatpitythatintheworldoflightthegiftofsightisusedonlyasamereconveniencesratherthanasameansofaddingfullnesstolife.