I CAN SEE.....

“ I can see..Fredy, I can see”, my grandma said to me the next morning while we were in the car. “Your, goatee looks even longer..you should really trim that thing!!” . At that moment I wish I had a pair of scissors (in retrospect, I am glad I didn’t :-]..am loving my goatee) . I always thought there two things in this world that could make my cry, that Will Smith movie, what was it called again...”In Pursuit of Happyness” ..yes, that’s it..and the loss of a loved one..but I couldn’t fight down tears when I saw the expression on my grandma’s face when she looked around and was identifying colors, my goatee, the color of the pants a lady walking by..and how it was unorthodoxicaly tight, the blueness of the clear Friday afternoon sky. All this things to her where a shade of white before the operation, that removed her cataract, and subsequently restored her vision in her left eye.

18 hours before….

My grandma sat next to me on unpolished mahogany bench, the overhead fan was making an eerie noise that made the situation more uncomfortable. She wasn’t looking at me now..and I knew that look..i’ve seen it on my father million and one times, and I bet people have seen it on me a million and two times too. The franchise “Oloo” am-not-budging look. The doctor walked by and I just nodded a “not yet” , he returned an “It’s Ok” look, and headed out the door. I held her ancient hands, and tried telling her how the operation was vital..if she wanted to ever see again. It took me about an hour, and she eventually gave in. the next day we were there bright and early, she wore her favorite scarf. Just before we left the car, I held her hands again, and told her to pray with me. She did a prayer in Swahili. I checked her inn, and the doctor was pleased we came back, she led her into a room, and me to another. I sat there, at what seemed like the longest 30 minuets of my life. The nurse led her in, and told me the operation was a success! The doctor told me to take her back the next day for a follow up.

The present..

I don’t know where you are in your life..but today folks, just look around you…see that terminal  cancer patient who only has a few days, that healthy 23 year old athlete who cant use his legs anymore because of a freak accident, the people going hungry, war ravaged and wore torn countries and suddenly your problems don’t seem that big. Stop complaining about every little thing and embrace life. Be grateful, for everything, even the dust on your perfectly polished shoes or the bird crap on your shoulder, for that tooth decay, your 9 pm curfew, that chick that just broke your heart…just be grateful..