Side effects

A few days ago, I went for an eye exam. No big deal, right? Well, it turns out I hadn’t checked my eyes in at least 10 or 15 years. I always thought they were fine. I even said it out loud many times—”My eyesight is perfect!” But after the exam, the doctor looked at me and said, “You need glasses.”

The diopters aren’t high, but that wasn’t the point. The real surprise was realizing that for years, I had been seeing the world as ‘normal’ when, in reality, it could have been clearer, sharper, and better. It made me think—how many other things do we just accept as ‘fine’ without realizing they’ve changed?

I’m 45. I have no issue with this number. It’s just a number. But nature has a way of reminding us that time moves forward, whether we acknowledge it or not. I didn’t wake up one day and suddenly need glasses. It was a slow, quiet change that I didn’t notice until someone pointed it out. And isn’t that how aging works? One day, you’re young and energetic, and then, little by little, small things shift. Not overnight, not dramatically—just enough to make you pause and say, “Oh… so this is happening.”

I’m not bothered by my age. But I’d be lying if I said I liked the side effects. The creaks in the knees, the reading glasses, the moments when I walk into a room and forget why I’m there. But I suppose that’s the trade-off for experience, memories, and the privilege of moving forward. And if all I need for now is a pair of glasses, I’ll take it. At least now, I can see clearly how life keeps moving—whether we notice or not.

GK