Future collaborators, I updated the Topics List with hopes of collaborations returning in May. Let me know if you see a topic that interests you.
Click the video above for 2 minutes of background waves while reading.
I like walking on the beach. It’s good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.
I think of our eyes – those two movable spheres on the front of our face looking straight ahead while other organisms have them on top of their head.

I think about the importance of the eyes in balance – the way we keep our eyes on the single rail as we attempt a balanced walk on a railroad track.
I think of the eyes and the sense of sight that they initiate. That upside-down, mirror-reversed image that red, green, and blue sensors on the retina of each eye detect – and these messages are the ones that our brain interprets and puts it together as the one image of what we see.
I think of sight as the one sense most of us would fear losing. Some of us have lost the sight that others never had, while others have experienced threats to their eyesight. Ever wonder how people cope with losing vision after they have had it?
Ever wonder what those with a visual abnormality see? The colorblind, whether red-green, blue-yellow, or even the monochromatic? Or the limited views caused by glaucoma or cataracts? It’s hard to imagine visual problems for those eyes that aren’t mine.
Color is all around us. All the color we see is based on light signals received by those three sensors – yet we see so many colors. Somehow, a person with monochrome vision can be a painter of vibrant color.
Eyesight: that mechanism that puts a world in front of us to see – to interact with, to note danger, and more. But those are only true if we take the time to look – to notice the world and its detail found directly in front of us. Otherwise, we won’t notice what our eyes see. Then again, our biases, perceptions, and distractions influence our interpretation of the visual scene.

Eyesight – that sense of vision provides feelings of freedom, independence, and wonder. Just watch an infant’s eyes as this starts young.
Whereas the eyes gather light’s input of our world, our vision is a gift from our mind that is a higher level and purpose of vision. Perhaps this is what Helen Keller meant when saying, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” Nonetheless, many people cringe at the thought of eye problems, operations, and losing sight.
The eyes are those two small spheres showing emotion, interest, confusion, confidence, insecurity, and more. The locking of eyes can be a special moment – that is, transcending what one sees to another level of emotion.
Some see the eyes as a window to one’s soul. Looking into the eyes to find good, evil, happiness, sadness, empathy, and even the unknown.
Eyes can twinkle, bat, rove, gleam, and even accomplish something routine when closed.
We can describe eyes can as bloodshot, evil, eagle, magic, private, snake, tired, and goo-goo-googly.
Eyes can be in the back of the head, in the beholder, bigger than the stomach, and a fresh pair.

From the corner of one’s eye to eye-to-eye, keeping eyes peeled and on the ball may help those in the public eye, but one may still need a private eye to help from bags forming under the eyes.
No matter where we are, our lives are surrounded by things to see, but do we take time to notice what is around us – even directly in front of us. After all, awareness is a conscious activity. But for everything there is to see, we cannot see without light.
As I walk on the whitish sand, the sky is more cloudy today than blue, so the sun plays peek-a-boo. The emerald green sea is neither a tempest or very calm, and the whack line is defined with numerous shells – but I watch my step because the brilliantly blue Portuguese Man-of-War are present. There is much to see when during my beach walks – but this remains unchanged. I like walking on the beach because it is good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.
See what other bloggers have written about sight
- Deeper Sight (a poem)
- Eyes Glow in Different Colors (an essay)
- Best Sight Bird (essay)
- Music and the blind elephant (a short essay and video)
- Rotating Circles Optical Illusion (a short essay and video)
- A Clever Optical Illusion (essay and photos)
Next Post: Hearing – Thursday 8 April @ 1 AM (Eastern US)
Follow Beach Walk Reflections
- Facebook (BeachWalk Reflections)
- Instagram (BeachWalk Reflections)
- Twitter (@ReflectionsWalk)
- WordPress (Follow or Subscribe
It is the most precious thing, Frank, and I would be very frightened without it. Your musings are always informative and thought provoking. Not a bad way to start the day 🙂 🙂 Have a good one!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jo,
Your comment caused me to smile at the start of my day because thought-provoking is always one of my aims. Not only would losing sight after having it be scary, that would be difficult for any of the senses. I had a scary issue about 5 years ago, but most naturally returned. Have a good rest of the week.
LikeLike
I noted you wore lenses. I’m overseeing the recovery of my friend and neighbour so Easter has been difficult but she is finally doing much better. Have a lovely day, Frank! 🤗💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
Best wishes to your friend’s recovery and cheers to you for providing important assistance! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The whole thing about sight is large in my thoughts at the moment, waiting for an op that was postponed cos of covid, and everyday my sight gets worse. A writer and photographer…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Crispina,
Be strong, Crispina. Be strong! Thoughts, prayers, and support your way.
LikeLike
I’m managing with only one (almost) good eye at the moment. That’s fine. It makes for problems, switching between specs to see screens & distance and settings for photos. But I manage
I thank you for your thoughts
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for sharing and good luck.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’ll happen, it’ll get sorted. Otherwise, I’ll manage
LikeLike
After all, awareness is a conscious activity. But for everything there is to see, we cannot see without light. And many time people do not want to see, even it was right in front their eyes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ritva,
I’m right with you: no light, no vision. It is that simple! No seeing what is right in front of them has several aspects. For me, ignoring the sight is one thing, but not seeing it is another. That’s one thing I admire about photographers – that is, they look beyond the obvious, therefore notice so much more that is right in front of them that others could see if they looked. A tip of the cap to you. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊🙏🏻 thanks Frank glad you agree
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think sight is the most important sense and the worst to lose …
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rudi,
Maybe so, but one thing I admire is that the blind have a way of increasing the awareness of the other senses. Nonetheless, losing sight after having it must be very difficult. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
I think the Helen Keller quote is true. There are so many people who have two good eyes, but see so little.
I believe though that my mom’s macular degeneration helped lead to her decline because it narrowed her world, particularly because she could no longer read. She did continue to paint though. It does scare me that this could happen to me, as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Merril,
Keller’s quote is wonderful, plus I appreciate your paraphrasing – perfect! Your mother’s story is a great addition to this post. From the narrowing world to wondering about a genetic link, your point is well taken. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome, Frank.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I enjoyed your engrossing article about our eyes and the important aspects of fine tuning our vision to absorb everything we “actually see”… When I look closely I can see the universe in a blade of grass
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ivor,
Thanks for the kind words … and “see the universe in a blade of grass” is an outstanding statement. Thank you!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sight seems to be the most importent of the senses. It is always sad not to be able to enjoy the beauty of this world through sight. My husband has macular degeneration and has vision loss. Nice post Frank and very well presented.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Peggy,
Having vision and then having it taken away must be horrible – especially a slow process. That also has a profound effect on you. Thanks for sharing a bit of your personal story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So many stories in this world to be told.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do think a lot about sight…..I have early glaucoma and “not ripe yet” cataracts – both of which of course can be addressed. Like you Frank I was a very early “glasses wearer” – I think I was in elementary school when I finally complained to my teacher that I could not see from where I was sitting – she told my parents and I got glasses! Anyway, I have been grateful for my eyes as they allowed me to pursue various artistic endeavors through the years…..great topic Frank.
Pam
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pam,
I can recall my glasses came into my life in second grade. I suddenly wonder have many pairs I’ve owned since then. Who knows why that thought suddenly entered my mind. No question, the older we get, the more important it is to have a yearly eye exam. Best of luck for your future eye encounters.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Same to you Frank!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Pam.
LikeLike
“…our vision is a gift from our mind…” That is brilliant!. Too often people look and do not see or see and do not understand and that not understanding makes them blind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pam.
Thanks for letting me know a line that caught your attention. I also appreciate your take on that. My intent was probably from the perspective of a biology teacher. That is, all the senses share a basic process: detect, send messages to the brain and/or spinal cord, translate, then react. So to me, the final touch of vision goes to the brain, not the eyes. Then again, I’m guessing my original intent. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, it has tweaked my curiosity and I may borrow a few words…if you don’t mind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No problem … go for it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sight is indeed precious, and how lucky we are to live in a time when surgery can improve vision for so many older folks. What an enchanting video!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Laurie,
I can’t imagine how much change older ophthalmologists have seen in their years of practice. The idea of eye surgery is creepy to me, but I’m amazed at what eye surgeons can do. Glad you enjoyed the video …. a bit on the esoteric side.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Clif had cathartics removed in both eyes. He said it wasn’t that bad. And nowadays the recovery time is quick. And what a difference in his vision.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What technology does with eye surgery today amazes me. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I haven’t been to the beach in years. Yet, I know by memory, the magnificent healer that it is.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rebecca,
Welcome first-time beach-walk commenter to the sands of my personal beach. Indeed, the beach is a healer – even through something as simple as relaxing the mind and body enough, the person feels better. As we know, life provides its share of tensions, so if the beach improves the feeling in people, it is a healer. Thanks for your thoughts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are very welcome. Even though I haven’t been to the beach, I do find a calm merely by being near water. There is a peace to be had on the bank of any size expanse. Yes, relaxing the mind and body.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I got the feeling water – especially moving water – has a way of relaxing the mind and body. What are you located?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Near the middle of North Carolina in the good ole USA, No near by oceans, but there is a small pond on my parent’s property that I love to sit and watch the ripples on the water..
LikeLike
Yep … ponds and lakes also have a calming effect. Cheers to you in NC …. I’m in Cincinnati – double-digit hours of driving from the beach.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m thinking its maybe a four hour or so drive to the beach from here, and almost as much to the mountains depending on where you want to go.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many find peace of mind in the mountains. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Especially beside one of those mountain streams. I usually prefer the mountains because I tend to burn easily.
LikeLike
Yes, the “eyes” have it (pun intended). Coincidentally, I’m reading Helen Keller’s autobiography. Perhaps “vision” is truly more important than “seeing.” We need both! Thank you for this. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mary Jo,
How interesting that I timed this post with the book you are reading. I would think the Keller autobiography is a good one. 😉 Cheers to our serondipity. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Vision is something I don’t take for granted, Frank. It is a wonderful gift. I am colorblind, but I see a world of color (just not the way you see it).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dan,
Vision is definitely a gift. Then again, so are all the senses. You mentioned colorblindness. One of the interesting things that I find about vision, nobody actually knows what the other is seeing. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good post, Frank. All agree say aye. The ayes have it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
John,
Perfect … and this …. tinyurl.com/ytmep6nm
LikeLiked by 2 people
Couldn’t open the link
LikeLiked by 1 person
Trying again https://tinyurl.com/ytmep6nm
LikeLike
Yay. You did it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is a beautiful ‘walk’ on ‘Sight’, my friend. As Albrecht Dürer said, “Sight is the noblest sense of man.”
And obviously how we see is very much subject to our mind. Two people looking at the same thing rarely describe it the same way. Have a great Tuesday, my friend!
Yamas!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Marina,
I’m right with you. The vaults of humanity contain countless examples of conflicting eye-witness reports. Perception and biases are two factors … and there are probably more. Have a good week … Yamas!
LikeLike
You yoo, my dear Frank!
Yamas! 🙏😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think William Shakespeare said it best with…“The Eyes are the window to your soul.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Monika,
Shakespeare was on to something. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed; he was right about a whole lot of things.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep ,,, but did you know he never correctly picked a Super Bowl winner.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahaha! Guess he was just a mere mortal after all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s more to sight than meets the eye, Frank. Sometimes we look but don’t see, other times we see things that aren’t there. I knew someone once who was red green colourblind, she only saw grey. I asked her about traffic lights thinking they would cause a bit of confusion… she told me she could still see if the light was on or off!
Interesting post, Frank.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Tom,
Very true. I wonder if it not the eyes that full us, but our brain is the culprit. I’ve had red-green colorblind people tell me the Red one was on top – so I ask what if they are sideways?
LikeLiked by 1 person
True… I suppose we just get to know what we know!
LikeLike
We already had the “would I rather be deaf or blind” discussion so I won’t reiterate that one. I’d rather have had sight and lost it than never have had it because at least I would have a mental picture of what many things looked like. Imagine never having seen anything!! I can’t.
As for eyes twinkling and the like, I don’t think they really do, but you read the face, the position of the eyelids and eyebrows, etc. But you can’t really say that in a book or conversation. 🙂
As always, thanks for starting the conversation.
janet
LikeLiked by 1 person
Janet,
So much can be said about sight and the eyes. It is different how we use various facial features to read a person … and no doubt, all those things impact the eyes. Meanwhile, never having sight vs. losing sight after having it is a tough one. Like you said, at least the latter can imagine it. Thanks for your thoughts!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, you have hit on the very preciousness of the sight sense…and how our lives are made richer by it.
Hubby has a bump on his retina of one eye, and it could cause major vision problems if it expands or ruptures. He already has bad vision (from when he was very young), and worries that he may need to give up his work/hobbies or driving if it got bad…but thankfully according to his specialist eye doc, it is stable…no doubt helped by his control of his weight and blooid pressure, etc. So he protects his eyes with goggles, doing yard work, etc.
When my allergies go into full swing, my eyes will swell up and be very itchy to the point of making me feel half insane, then its hard to see well, too. We are wearing face shields at my work (Covid regulations), and those things distort my vision a lot. Sometimes I have to take it off because of the impending headache it induces. Phooey on that evil virus.
Having voiced my concerns about vision, somehow, if I have to loose my hearing or my vision, I think I would rather loose sight than hearing. When you can communicate, you are not feeling so isolated as when you cannot hear anything.
Today I am enjoying my blessed and precious gift of God in my vision, because the sun is gloriously shining, the spring blooms are starting to add splashes of color everywhere, and I can read your post!…
(and I was able to find the teaser pic at Teddy’s! LOL!)
Have a wonderful day, and enjoy all the many wonders that enter your line of vision today.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ingrid,
Finding Teddy’s teaser pic perfectly explains the value of sight! 🙂 Meanwhile, thanks so much for sharing about your husband and your work situation. I can’t imagine dealing with an eye issue like his – let alone eye issues for many years. For me, losing hearing or sight? I really don’t know. Both thoughts are scary. Thanks for sharing your story and thoughts. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
At this time to wear masks we recognize people by their eyes .
In friendship
Michell
LikeLiked by 1 person
Michel,
The era of masks sure has given faces and eyes a new light. Thanks for mentioning them!
LikeLike
Interestingly, when you wrote about the window into a person’s soul, I thought of the Amish, who do not like having their pictures taken. Well, that’s something I have in common with them I guess . . .
LikeLiked by 1 person
Marc,
Oh my … you could be the first Amish Cuban!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hmmmm. Somehow I think I would be shunned before I got to church.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha ha …
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s true!
LikeLike
Every part of our body really is a miracle, but I’ve always thought that our eyes are somehow exceptionally complex when you think of all that they need to do in order to work correctly. I recently saw a video of a color blind young man (boy, really) handed special glasses by his color blind science teacher and when he put them on and he could see the periodic table in color for the first time. It was so moving, and I thought at the time, compared to perhaps someone with no sight, color blindness may not be as harsh, but seeing this young man respond in tears, joy and relief, really emphasized the wonder of sight!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Debra,
Thanks for sharing the story about the colorblind boy. I didn’t see it, but I have seen a story about those glasses. Fascinating! I will I could recall the situation they showed in the clip, but I’m drawing a blank. Bottom line – cheers to the wonders of sight.
LikeLike
The Helen Keller quote is bang on. My mother has glaucoma and now has only 20% of her vision left. She can see straight ahead and can read and watch TV but has to be ultra careful when she takes her walks. People try to get her attention by waving to the side or too far down or up and she sees nothing. Scary.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dale,
Definitely a scary thought … so wishing your mom nothing but the best during this horrifying journey. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Frank.
The good news is, her doctor says she won’t ever get worse. But the chances of getting better depend on some new procedure that shows up… I think the hardest thing was hearing from him that if she had seen him first thing, he could have done something. Damn…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad there is some good news. I don’t know if this applies to her, but some people simply avoid the doctor or even the doc’s recommendations.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, definitely not her case. She just unfortunately didn’t meet the right doctor in time, living up north at the time where are were less specialists.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bummer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah…
LikeLike
Eyes are definitely fascinating, aren’t they, Frank? Just look how many professions are taught to “read” emotions by looking into another person’s eyes (though I’m sure they use body language and innuendo, too). And look how many colors there are in irises, from all those shades of blue to green, hazel, and brown. Very interesting post, my friend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Debbie,
Definitely. To use a line from a meeting involving a vote, the eyes have it. 😉 Interesting how we say various colors of the eyes, but we forget that humans display various shades within the color. Many years ago at the eye doctor, I asked if I could look at his irises. Very interesting and I recall them being like mountains and valleys.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed, sight is the one sense I most fear losing. Since I started having problems with flashers and floaters in December the fate of my eyes has been big source of anxiety for the past few months. I love that you mentioned watching infants’ eyes — I love watching a newborn taking in the world with her eyes, the sense of wonder apparent right from the beginning.
LikeLike
Eye eye, captain! I see what you say.
I agree that the scariest sense to lose would be sight.
Well, you should see the sight on my street. I’m living in an urban one sided war zone. Now, I’m going to look for ear plugs on line.
A lovely walk, Frank! You seem to be revelling in your beach walks. Congrats!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great post Frank,
My dad eas macular degeneration and glaucoma and almost leagally blind so I appreciate this post and know he will too. Thanks, I;ll send it off.
I agree the window to the soul is through the eyes and with masks that’s what we see the most. funny my post lines up with yours on Monday… great minds think alike. Nice job! 💖
LikeLike