Many of you who do not know me probably do not know that I am blind. Well, not actually blind, but without my contacts or glasses, I am pretty dang close. For as common as it is in our world to need corrective lenses, I think that perfect eyesight is often taken for granted. I honestly cannot remember the last time I woke up from a solid night of sleep and was able to clearly see the world around me. As ridiculous as it may seem, my eyesight affects my life immensely every day. Countless times, I have been in the middle of one of my sporting events or taking a test when all of a sudden, boom, out pops my contact! It’s even better when my contact rips and only half of it comes out, while the other half is just floating around in my eye socket playing peek-a-boo. Let me tell you, one of the worst pains I have experienced is having a jagged, ripped-up contact rubbing against my cornea and inner eyelid.

However, through all of the hardships that bad vision can bring, it has taught me several important lessons that I can simplify down to one: appreciate the little things (literally) in life. When I don’t have contacts or glasses on, I can only see things if they are super close up; because of this I have learned to admire the smallest details of life. Whether it be acknowledging how much time and precision someone put into creating a piece of artwork, the care and detail in your favorite shirt, or the intricate layout of the veins on a leaf, we can really appreciate the beauty in our lives.

Some people will say we need to focus on the big things in life; where you’re going to college, what career you want to pursue, or how much money you want to make in life, but ultimately it’s the small choices that affect what you decide in the long run. When running a marathon, every step you take along the way helps you reach the finish line. People often overlook these simple, yet impactful details.

If we take the time to reflect on this, it can really put into perspective how precious life is. I can only begin to wonder how much time God must have spent meticulously crafting each and every microscopic cell of every living thing on Earth. They always say to look at the big picture, but sometimes the best pictures in life lie in the up close and personal details.

Caitlin Kramer 

Sports Editor