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face. I can detect laughter, sorrow,
and many other obvious emotions.
I know my friends from the feel of
their faces.
For instance, can you describe
accurately the faces of five different
friends? As an experiment, I have
questioned husbands about the
colour of their wives’ eyes, and often
they are embarrassed and admit that
they do not know.
I should like to see the books which have been read to me, and which have revealed to me the
deepest channels of human life. In the afternoon, I should take a long walk in the woods and
intoxicate my eyes on the beauties of the world of nature. And I should pray for the glory of
a colourful sunset. That night I should not be able to sleep.
On the second day, I should like to see the pageant of man’s progress, and I should go to
the museums. I should try to probe into the soul of man through his art. The things I knew
through touch I should now see. The evening of my second day I should spend at a theatre
or at the movies.
The following morning, I should again greet the dawn, anxious to discover new delights, new
revelations of beauty. Today this third day, I shall spend in work amid the haunts of men
going about the business of life.
At midnight, permanent light would close on me again. Only when darkness again descended
upon me should I realize how much I had left unseen.
I am sure that if you faced the fate of blindness you would use your eyes as never before.
Everything you see would become dear to you. Your eyes would touch and embrace every
object that came within your range of vision. Then at least, you would really see, and a new
world of beauty would open itself before you.
I, who am blind can give one hint to those who can see:
Use your eyes as if tomorrow you would be stricken blind. And the same method can be
applied to the other senses. Hear the music of voices, the song of a bird, the mighty strains
of an orchestra, as if you would be stricken deaf tomorrow. Touch each object as if tomorrow
17 Arrow - English Plus-8
