Friday, May 30, 2008

Glasses, no apologies necessary

Recently, I was reading my cousin Zach and Ginet's blog when I happened to scroll down to look at picture's of cute Ginet with her gorgeous daughter, Adeline, who is Ellie's age.  At the end of that particular post, she used an asterisk and explained her reason behind wearing her glasses because people had been asking.  Her reason being that she had an infection in her eye, therefore not allowing her the use of her contacts.  This got me thinking about my personal glasses wearing and the trials and tribulations that I have gone through answering the endless questions about why, how long, and my favorite, is it because of your weird eye?

Yes, that weird eye.  Sure, it happened because I was in a seemingly harmless "rock fight" in the  fourth grade.  I know what you're thinking.  How could anything such as hurling rocks at other classmates five feet away be harmful? Well, apparently it was only harmful to me.  And it's ok to look directly into it.  Only once has it put someone into a trance, and that's how I got Hubert to marry me.  Ironically, the weird eye has perfect 20/20 vision, whereas the other "normal" eye, the one with, as some might say, the "problem,"  is the eye that has poor vision.  But I haven't always worn glasses.  It all started when I began college and couldn't see the board in one of my stadium seated classes.  Ever since then, my eye sight has only gotten worse.  But let me continue.  Why do we glasses wearing people, whom I refer to as "impaired visionites," feel the need to explain or even apologize for our use of our glasses.  Do people with canes apologize for their use of their stickly support?  Do hearing impaired people apologize for that lima bean shaped hearing aide in their ear even when it's turned up so loud you can hear the whinning sound from down the street?  I think not, nor do they feel the need to.  So why do we?  It got me thinking about glasses and what wearing them means to most people, people who do not wear them.  First, I will show a picture

I know that this movie didn't bring on the "nerd" stereotype that comes with wearing glasses, but it sure perpetuated it.  But why are we considered nerds?  Does having bad vision really place us in a category that allows "jocks" and "cheerleaders" to make fun of us?  It shouldn't, but for some reason you will find that it does.  Maybe it's because these kids who do wear glasses are picked on by the "cool kids", making them feel not good enough or embarrassed to play sports or other such "cool" activities, therefore making them study harder, making them smarter, and in the end, having successful careers such as professors, doctors, scientists, etc.  I'm not saying that everyone that wears glasses is smart.  I mean, look at this guy

I'm just saying that the past and present has shown that the smarter people have donned spectacles.  For example, we have Ernest Hemingway, the great American novelist,

Allen Ginsberg, the renowned and beautiful poet,

And Tina Fey, the funniest woman in entertainment today

I could go on with the be-spectacled people, but I won't.  In the end, I will say this.  When someone asks you why you are wearing your glasses, just tell them that you were one of the chosen few who were asked to be smarter, more witty, more clever, and more stylish than then they are.  Then, when they are looking at you with a look of bewilderment, take your glasses of, breathe on them, clean them, place them back on your face, and walk away.  And remember, no apologies necessary.  

6 comments:

AJ said...

Laughing my "ah*" off! I too wear glasses and as my heart broke for you and your "weird one" questions. I reminisced back to my Pirate days, when in second grade I got to wear a "patch" imagine the questions I got! I do think a lot of people buy non-prescription glasses and wear them needlessly as an accessory to make them more attractive and smarter looking. No apologies from Captain Jack Sparrow.

Ginet said...

Great post Meagan. I'll wear my glasses with pride!

becca said...

Meagan, Rhett here. I just read your post and I personally am jealous that I dont have the extra accessory ie COOL glasses. And by the way, Becca looks hot in her glasses, but she doesn't ever wear them. I like it when she puts them on.

becca said...

I used to be one of you... Until I got sick of going places like the "Cinema" and having to confess to my date that I forgot my glasses so we couldn't see the movie... I also grew weary of pushing the dang things up my nose. Geesh, I was like a blithering idiot, snorting and pushing my specs over the ill-positioned bump on my nose (which you would think kept the stupid things in place). All I can say to you is "Thank You Acuvue."
Much Love, Becca

Charles said...

As you know I should wear glasses but I have to say that they cause many to be very confused.... As far as my response to why I wear glasses I apreciate the suggestion but I think I'll stick with "They make me look sexy!" .... Ha ha, ha

Nells-Bells said...

I am FINALLY checking out your blog! Love it. I especially love this post. I have had glasses since the fourth grade. My eyes have gotten worse over the years. It is now to the point where my glasses resemble coke bottles more than glasses. That is my reason for wearing my contacts more than my glasses. I see better with my contacts. But I loved it when someone would ask me if I sleep with my glasses on. Believe me, I got asked that a lot. Almost as much as being asked if my twin brother and I were identical.
Janelle :p