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UC Chimes: Near sight and far sight

When people are young, they are usually able to see things better that are near rather than far away. This is called near sightedness.

When people are young, they are usually able to see things better that are near rather than far away. This is called near sightedness. But gradually eye vision changes from near to far sightedness which means people are able to see things more clearly from a distance. Most senior citizens are struggling with this kind of physical condition. Of course there are many various theories and physical factors that try to explain why these symptoms happen to people as they are getting older. The fact of the matter is why eye sight changes can never be fully explained with no matter what theories and physical factors. Still the eye vision of people is naturally changing from near to far sightedness anyway.

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) said, "Why is there something rather than nothing?" He wondered about the existence of the universe, especially the principles and changing phenomena of nature, which is called an ontological argument. If the changing of eye sight is one of the natural phenomena of the human body, then it would be very interesting to have a question about it like this, "Why does eye sight have to change from near to far sightedness? Why is it not the other way around?" Who knows that figuring out an answer to this question pondering with many possible and plausible ideas and logic could be an eye opening experience during the long and cold Saskatchewan winter?

A very interesting thing is that among all living beings which have eyes, only those of humans have been designed to see the heavens automatically when they lie down on the ground. Others have been made to focus on the ground. When I was young, I used to lie down on the green grass beside a creek near a country side village and looked up at the sky. Nowadays I wonder how many and how often young children look up at the sky, count the stars and dream dreams of their future surrounded by the wonder and awesome feeling of creation. Seeing farther away means to see more things. God has created not only physical eye sight but also insight, the inner eye sight so that we can see both sides, in and out, visible and invisible, concrete and abstract, and temporary and permanent things.

Living in this era of instant gratification with the short and near sight, it might be a blessing to be becoming more far sighted eyes naturally. Because it might allow us to see farther and focus on the things that are more important. A psalmist said, "I lift up my eyes to the hills-from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 121:1-2). Let us try to see things and matters farther away with far sighted eyes, then who knows, we may all be able to see the coming beautiful spring in the middle of