Aging Eyes

Ok, let's face it, I'm getting old. Really old. I don't mind this at all, and I'm not complaining. I actually enjoy getting older and love the change and growth that takes place as I do. In fact, most of the time I don't even think about my age or how where I fit in years compared to those around me. But every once in a while I'm reminded that age happens, when I'm not paying attention. It seems the first casualty of a careless (or more likely clueless) youth has happened. I guess I knew one day I'd pay for mistakes of the past as I became older and the first one has appeared. It started to show up on my eyeballs of all places. A yellowish line growing from the inside toward the middle. I went to have it checked out and it's pretty harmless. It's called pinguecula. It happens with age and is caused by living in a dry climate, being outdoors a lot, not wearing sunglasses, or by not wearing good sunglasses. The Dr. says it's common and harmless.

It's true I've lived my entire life in dry climates (except for my mission) and I do wear terrible sunglasses. I wear the cheapest ones. You know the ones that you buy at the drug store for $5. I'm terrible at keeping track of them so I didn't dare invest in a nice pair. I thought I was being so economically smart. Instead I now have a permanent scar on my eyes. It can be cosmetically removed, but you can't really see it that well. I'm not worried about how it looks at all, I'm just happy it's not going to make me go blind or anything.

So if I were to write a letter to my younger self it would include, don't forget the sunscreen....for your eyes.