I keep returning to this topic because it’s the one thing that constantly bothers me and affects my lifestyle.

Having had eyesight—albeit imperfect—for nearly 60 years, learning to manage without it is a real challenge. I don’t claim that the eyes are the most important organ; every inch of the body, every part, and every organ has its own significance. Think about the importance of something as tiny as your little toe or your thumb, or any of your fingers. Consider the challenges faced by those who have hearing or speech impairments, or the universal struggle of back pain and how debilitating that can be. So, I don’t place extra importance on the eyes alone.

Recently, I was speaking with an official in a bank and mentioned that I needed assistance due to my visual impairment. It sent a jolt through me when he told me that he was completely blind from birth. I asked him, “How do you manage?” His response was simple: “If you are blind from birth, you learn to live with it and move forward.” He added that for people like me, it’s even harder to adjust because we’ve experienced life on the other side for so long. That’s true. But this also gives me hope that, even at this age, new skills can be learned, and life can be better managed.

Whenever I visit the hospital, I see many kids with visual impairments or blindness. They are given training, showing that with the right guidance, life can still be navigated successfully.

My request to everyone is this: take care of your eyes—not just your eyes, but your entire body. Some defects may be congenital, but always follow your doctor’s advice. Don’t neglect your health. Avoid harming your body through neglect, improper eating, bad habits, lack of exercise, negative thoughts, or even fear and anxiety. Small issues can turn into big problems. Not waking up on time and then rushing around, not getting adequate sleep, device addiction, arguments that spike your blood pressure, acting in a frenzy, and reacting negatively to disappointments—these all take a toll. The mantra should be balance, balance, and more balance.

I now regret having unconsciously avoided sunlight and fresh air during my working years, and now, the near impossibility of accessing them due to my blindness hits me hard. When I had the chance, I ignored it. Now, I have the time and the desire, but I can’t. The value of what’s out of reach often seems greater than what’s in hand. We desire what we don’t have and fail to appreciate what we do.

I’m not preaching—just expressing my anguish for not taking better care of my eyes. There were so many things I could have done differently, things I could have avoided to delay, if not prevent, the onset of blindness.

Continued in 103. Blind Speaking, Not Blindly Speaking - Part 2