To see or not to see?

I had a surreal experience today, and i can't wait to discuss about it. Ok i shall dive straight into it. I was invited by the 'girlfriend' of my girlfriend to an exhibition about the visually impaired. That was what i was told, besides the date, time and venue. So i didnt exactly know what to expect as i was getting there, with the gf and my bf. Ok b4 u think, im one weird idiot.. Let me clarify the names.. My girlfren is Shalu; her gf is actually her best fren, or maybe they are lesbians after all, her name is Jess-see-car.. And my bf is actually my best fren, and no we are definitely not gay, his name is faisal.. Okok.. There i go beating about the bush again, so yes i will come back..

So we got to Ngee Ann Poly at about 1155am and proceeded to the place where the exhibition will be, still not knowing what to expect. As we got there, we were greeted by Jess-sick-ah and her group of volunteers who were helping this project, called "Dialogue in the Dark".

Basically Dialogue in the Dark is a tour where a group of individuals take an hour-long walk, in complete darkness, to go through ordinary situations that will seem extraordinary without the lack of sight. And that is all i'm going to say, because i want you to experience this yourself, and im not gonna spoil the surprise for you. But if you insist on knowing more about this, you can visit the following links.

http://www.dialogue-in-the-dark.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialogue_in_the_Dark

Oh by the way, it was founded in Germany, trust those Germans to always come up with cool stuff.. I mean seriously. did you expect anything else? They founded OktoberFest afterall..

But yea, now i have been seriously affected by this tour. Think about it. How often have we taken our sight for granted. Even me for an example. Im sitting at my com, critiquing and disturbing various ppl from all walks of life, but will i be able to do a simple task as blogging without my eyesight? Its strange isn't it? Heck i wouldn't even be able to read, let alone type. But before you think this is gonna be a cliched post, lauding the power of sight, think again.

The question that has been running through my mind, is not just how often have we taken our sight for granted, but rather how many times have we just relied on sight neglecting our other senses. As human beings, we have been blessed/created/programmed/whatevernot with 5 senses. All EQUALLY as important as one another. But how often have we just fallen back on just one or 2 of the senses to make a decision.

"Oh my god, that food looks awesome.. It mus sure as well taste good."
"That dress looks so nice on that model. I have to get it, it will suit me.."
"I saw what he was doing, i dont think my eyes were playing tricks on me. He must be up to something funny"

Sounds familiar? Ever used any of these lines or similar ones b4? I have been guilty of alot more similar scenarios, and unapologetically so. I mean, i have good eyesight, (with my spectacles of course) and whats wrong with relying on my sight to make judgements.

There has to be a reason, why we were given other senses, and a brain to process what the senses acquire. If all we needed was an eye to make a decision, we wouldn't need the other senses, would we? And as i was thinking along that line, another idea sprang up in my brain. Maybe people without eyesight, are not really as sad, as we think they are or they ought to be.

Face it, they do not have to look at the dress they bought and think "Hey it doesn't look good on me". They will definitely not judge their next friend or lover simply based on looks, and thus have a higher chance of loving a person for who they really are, rather than how they look. Basically, there isn't any UGLY in their world. Ugly as in not the superficial, Jay-z like ugly who is really one ugly yet talented guy with a hot wife. But ugly as in the dirty polluted dilapidated factory that is seeping contaminated sewage into the river that provides drinking water. Ugly as in the sight of seeing young kids with bloated stomachs caused by extreme hunger, and flies hovering over them due to lack of hygiene. Ugly as in seeing people with disfigured faces and dismembered bodies, left behind as souvenirs of mindless wars. Ugly as in George W Bush's face.

What i'm trying to say here is that, the blind are in a sense better off than us (Pun definitely intended), because they don't have to see the ugly that we do. Yea, they are not able to see the beauty in the world too, but who says they can't imagine what beauty is to them. Lack of sight, does not inhibit their ability to imagine, and if they choose so they can imagine everything beautiful in their mind. And how cool would that be, a world where everything is beautiful.

But we know that such a world doesn't exist. That's because we can SEE that the world has its fair share of ugliness. Now if you are those who think that you need ugliness to appreciate beauty, please stop reading, and press the X at the top of this page. Cos i'm the sort who believes that while a BEAUTIFUL WORLD is nearly impossible to achieve, there is no loss or harm in us trying to create one. The blind can't see, yet there are many who are trying to better their lives. You, who are reading this, have near perfect vision, so what is there stopping you from making a difference to this world. Cliched dialogue isn't it? Wait till you read what's next.

Not everyone can become Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, or Jesus. Coincidentally, all of them were killed quite brutally, so it might not be a good idea to become like them too. But you can make a difference in your own way. Do one good deed a day, and you can make a difference. You have to do nothing big, just saying something as simple as "Hi Aunty, good morning! Have a very good day!", to the cleaner aunty that you see everyday counts as a good deed too, and trust me you will not know of the multiplier effect that a simple statement like that will have. For those who are feeling more benevolent you could try doing other things that are only limited by your effort and imagination. But make it a point to do one good deed a day, and you can do your part in making this world a better place.

I have made many mistakes in my life, but there is one reason why i have so much confidence in myself. That is because i know i am a good person, who tries his best to do good to those around him. And trust me, the feeling of joy when you have made someone's day is very hard to replace, unless of course by a good bottle's whisky with close buddies, but that's another story.

In short, everyday you are adding onto so much negativity in the world, and that is inevitable cos we are selfish people. The world itself is programmed to withstand some amount of negativity. But when the world runs out of people who neutralise the negativity by injecting positive energy, then we begin running into trouble. So why don't we take the step ourselves, instead of waiting for a Mahatma or a Christ or a cool Black preacher, who all will sadly get assasinated anyways.

Coming back to the issue of sight. The next time you see something, don't just see it. Sense it.. Cos i'll be getting into trouble if i were to ask you taste or smell everything you see, but you know what i mean. Don't just see it, Sense it.. And think about what you see.. What it really means, and why is it the way it is. Cos when humans stop thinking, that is the day the earth stops spinning. So live life.. Fully..

PS: To those who wish to know more about the "Dialogue in the Dark" a socially worthy collaboration by Ngee Ann Polytechnic, that deserves your support, please contact this pretty lady by the name of Jessica Ann Kiara. http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=1075521589&ref=ts