Sometimes I have thought it would be an excellent rule to live each day as if we should die to-morrow. Such an attitude would emphasize sharply the values of life. We should live each day with a gentleness, a vigor, and a keenness of appreciation which are often lost when time stretches before us in the constant panorama of more days and months and years to come. There are those, of course, who would adopt the epicurean motto of ‘Eat, drink, and be merry,’ but most people would be chastened by the certainty of impending death.
In stories, the doomed hero is usually saved at the last minute by some stroke of fortune, but almost always his sense of values is changed. He becomes more appreciative of the meaning of life and its permanent spiritual values. It has often been noted that those who live, or have lived, in the shadow of death bring a mellow sweetness to everything they do.
Most of us, however, take life for granted. We know that one day we must die, but usually we picture that day as far in the future. When we are in buoyant health, death is all but unimaginable. We seldom think of it. The days stretch out in an endless vista. So we go about our petty tasks, hardly aware of our listless attitude toward life.
The same lethargy, I am afraid, characterizes the use of all our facilities and senses. Only the deaf appreciate hearing, only the blind realize the manifold blessings that lie in sight. Particularly does this observation apply to those who have lost sight and hearing in adult life. But those who have never suffered impairment of sight or hearing seldom make the fullest use of these blessed faculties. Their eyes and ears take in all sights and sounds hazily, without concentration and with little appreciation. It is the same old story of not being grateful for what we have until we lose it, of not being conscious of health until we are ill.
I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adult life. Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound.
Now and then I have tested my seeing friends to discover what they see. Recently I was visited by a very good friend who had just returned from a long walk in the woods, and I asked her what she had observed. ‘Nothing in particular,’ she replied. I might have been incredulous had I not been accustomed to such responses, for long ago I became convinced that the seeing see little.
How was it possible, I asked myself, to walk for an hour through the woods and see nothing worthy of note? I who cannot see find hundreds of things to interest me through mere touch. I feel the delicate symmetry of a leaf. I pass my hands lovingly about the smooth skin of a silver birch, or the rough, shaggy bark of a pine. In spring I touch the branches of trees hopefully in search of a bud, the first sign of awakening Nature after her winter’s sleep. I feel the delightful, velvety texture of a flower, and discover its remarkable convolutions; and something of the miracle of Nature is revealed to me. Occasionally, if I am very fortunate, I place my hand gently on a small tree and feel the happy quiver of a bird in full song. I am delighted to have the cool waters of a brook rush through my open fingers. To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug. To me the pageant of seasons is a thrilling and unending drama, the action of which streams through my finger tips.
At times my heart cries out with longing to see all these things. If I can get so much pleasure from mere touch, how much more beauty must be revealed by sight. Yet, those who have eyes apparently see little. The panorama of color and action which fills the world is taken for granted. It is human, perhaps, to appreciate little that which have and to long for that which we have not, but it is a great pity that in the world of light the gift of sight is used only as a mere convenience rather than as a means of adding fullness to life.
If I were the president of a university I should establish a compulsory course in ‘How to Use Your Eyes’. The professor would try to show his pupils how they could add joy to their lives by really seeing what passes unnoticed before them. He would try to awake their dormant and sluggish faculties.
– From ” Three Days to See “ by Helen Keller
February 29, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Such a beauty. I had been unaware of the fact that words can weave magic .
What a truth lies in this extract. Quite agreeable that the one deprived only values to appreciate things.
March 7, 2012 at 11:19 pm
Indeed, I concur. Keller discoursed in this piece what I had always wanted to see written. Her eloquent commentary elevates this extract’s authenticity and beauty substantially. A wonderful piece of literature this is…
March 2, 2008 at 9:38 am
I believe you need to be imaginative and creative to really appreciate nature. People like me get bored very easily 😦
March 2, 2008 at 10:26 am
Living in Tehran, when you have to go through so much trafic or long ways in the subway, you need to find a way not to get bored. Otherwise you end up depression!
Little by little i found my way, so i read books or i gaze on people hands and their way of talking or moving. It helped me to have characters for my stories.
On the other hand, living in big cities can be bad and good both. Even if it wastes your time, but you have this chance to find new ways and always have a busy schedule.
March 2, 2008 at 11:12 am
ya thats it,small moments makes a whole life
March 3, 2008 at 9:04 am
That’s beautifully written. And for a change, not by you 😛
That is so true. When I think of life this way, sometimes the big things stop mattering all that much. And something as simple as striking a soft key with the tip of my fingers as they dance slowly across the keyboard can become a magical experience. Honestly, sometimes I abstract these everyday actions – listen for the soft scrubbing sounds my pencil makes as I mark up a drawing, or listening for the modulating vibrations coming from the microwave as I heat a cup of milk for my coffee. Life is full of these little things much more than anything, and it is a blessing to be able to feel them.
March 4, 2008 at 10:05 am
I got a chance once during one of our workshop(craetive writing) to be blind folded for 10 to 15 minutes and than later composed a note on that particular moments.It was a great experience in away that we focused sounds in our surrounding and inner voice too..One blind child once wrote
” give me your hand
and I ll tell
who you are!!
March 5, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Very well-written!
I’ve read somewhere,
“You find something new everyday, if you pay attention”
and this seems so true. Travelling the same road daily and still I enjoy, there’s always something new about it, the people, new bricks, so so much!
March 8, 2008 at 11:46 am
Maryam..yes it is beautiful..one of my all time favourite writings…it really makes you feel that life and world IS beautiful. Words do weave magic when they come from within you. 🙂
Sumera…May be…:-)
Shahrzad…subways always provide you so much to write…every person is a book. 🙂
nlife…yep..its true…if we wait for big moments…we ll be hardly happy in our short life.
Absar…yes….and definitely a way better one..I wish I could write such simple yet so effective thing…but then these words are coming from within Helen…and yes it is a blessing to feel all those small things even when you are not deprived of any sense. 🙂
Aashley…I think I can feel those words. 🙂 I also had the opportunity trying to volunteer at Helen Keller center and I realized many more things that I felt before. I am impressed with Helen Keller since my very early childhood when I read about her.
Dinky…thats true..IF we pay attention 🙂
December 30, 2011 at 5:26 pm
RL Rose Edinburgh Antique Oriental Rugs…
[…]The seeing see little….. « Mera Jahaan…[…]…
July 4, 2012 at 1:35 am
I AM FELLING GOOD AFTAR READING THIS
July 4, 2012 at 1:36 am
die to-morrow. Such an attitude would emphasize sharply the values of life. We should live each day with a gentleness, a vigor, and a keenness of appreciation which are often lost when time stretches before us in the constant panorama of more days and months and years to come. There are those, of course, who would adopt the epicurean motto of ‘Eat, drink, and be merry,’ but most people would be chastened by the certainty of impending death.
In stories, the doomed hero is usually saved at the last minute by some stroke of fortune, but almost always his sense of values is changed. He becomes more appreciative of the meaning of life and its permanent spiritual values. It has often been noted that those who live, or have lived, in the shadow of death bring a mellow sweetness to everything they do.
Most of us, however, take life for granted. We know that one day we must die, but usually we picture that day as far in the future. When we are in buoyant health, death is all but unimaginable. We seldom think of it. The days stretch out in an endless vista. So we go about our petty tasks, hardly aware of our listless attitude toward life.
The same lethargy, I am afraid, characterizes the use of all our facilities and senses. Only the deaf appreciate hearing, only the blind realize the manifold blessings that lie in sight. Particularly does this observation apply to those who have lost sight and hearing in adult life. But those who have never suffered impairment of sight or hearing seldom make the fullest use of these blessed faculties. Their eyes and ears take in all sights and sounds hazily, without concentration and with little appreciation. It is the same old story of not being grateful for what we have until we lose it, of not being conscious of health until we are ill.
I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adult life. Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound.
Now and then I have tested my seeing friends to discover what they see. Recently I was visited by a very good friend who had just returned from a long walk in the woods, and I asked her what she had observed. ‘Nothing in particular,’ she replied. I might have been incredulous had I not been accustomed to such responses, for long ago I became convinced that the seeing see little.
How was it possible, I asked myself, to walk for an hour through the woods and see nothing worthy of note? I who cannot see find hundreds of things to interest me through mere touch. I feel the delicate symmetry of a leaf. I pass my hands lovingly about the smooth skin of a silver birch, or the rough, shaggy bark of a pine. In spring I touch the branches of trees hopefully in search of a bud, the first sign of awakening Nature after her winter’s sleep. I feel the delightful, velvety texture of a flower, and discover its remarkable convolutions; and something of the miracle of Nature is revealed to me. Occasionally, if I am very fortunate, I place my hand gently on a small tree and feel the happy quiver of a bird in full song. I am delighted to have the cool waters of a brook rush through my open fingers. To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug. To me the pageant of seasons is a thrilling and unending drama, the action of which streams through my finger tips.
At times my heart cries out with longing to see all these things. If I can get so much pleasure from mere touch, how much more beauty must be revealed by sight. Yet, those who have eyes apparently see little. The panorama of color and action which fills the world is taken for granted. It is human, perhaps, to appreciate little that which have and to long for that which we have not, but it is a great pity that in the world of light the gift of sight is used only as a mere convenience rather than as a means of adding fullness to life.
If I were the president of a university I should establish a compulsory course in ‘How to Use Your Eyes’. The professor would try to show his pupils how they could add joy to their lives by really seeing what passes unnoticed before them. He would try to awake their dormant and sluggish faculties.
October 20, 2012 at 8:47 am
i just love this book and the ideas of hellen keller
January 28, 2015 at 1:06 pm
same here :p
April 9, 2013 at 8:30 am
what do you understand by the expression ”gift of sight is used merely as aconvenience rather than as means of adding fullness to life”write a paragraph?
April 10, 2013 at 7:25 am
please explain in simple words
January 14, 2015 at 7:21 am
i want a simple paragraph about seeing see little
January 28, 2015 at 1:05 pm
:p
read it i wish u’ll like it 🙂
The seeing see little means the people who can see dont pay attention to the natural things which should be seen and percept by them. Now a days people are busy in thre business affairs and domestic problems. They dont pay attention to the things that can give them pleasure and mental satisfaction. It is a famous saying” A THING OF BEAUTY IS JOY FOREVER”. When Hellen Keller asked her friend what she saw in the woods she replied NOTHING SPECIAL. This respnse was not new to Hellen Keller but she felt anxious when she listened the reply. She could not see even then she had an urge to see the things in her surrounding. The people who have sense of sight dont bother to see their surrounding environment , thats why auther says ‘ the seeing see litle”
:p:p:p wish u like it 🙂
January 14, 2015 at 7:22 am
please i want it know
January 28, 2015 at 12:56 pm
jussssssssssssssttttttttttttt a little paragraph I want 🙂
July 15, 2015 at 1:56 am
Thanks for this wonderful article. One more thing to mention is that almost all digital cameras are available equipped with a new zoom lens that enables more or less of any scene to get included by way of ‘zooming’ in and out. These types of changes in focusing length usually are reflected within the viewfinder and on substantial display screen right at the back of any camera.
September 7, 2019 at 7:46 am
(as you should with ALL meats you grill or BBQ).
October 10, 2020 at 6:08 pm
thank you next lyrics