A few years ago, I underwent surgery to correct a misalignment of the extraocular muscles of both eyes. This condition developed as a result of the brain infection that affected me 19 years ago. The misalignment is called strabismus and initially only resulted in very minor visual disturbances that were easily corrected with glasses. Over the years the strabismus progressively caused physical and visual disturbances that could only be corrected by surgery.
My eyesight was severely impaired. I was experiencing headaches, nausea, fatigue and eye pain. After a thorough examination with the ophthalmologist, I was told that strabismus surgery was my best option. Considering my previous experiences with illness and hospitalization, I was very hesitant about the thought of undergoing any procedure. However, I realized that this procedure was necessary and so the surgery was scheduled. In the grand scheme of things this was a minor surgery, but it had a big impact on changing the way I see things, both physically and figuratively.
Over the years, the quality of my vision had been slowly declining and I wasn’t seeing the depth and clarity of my surroundings. These changes were happening so slowly that I didn’t even realize that I wasn’t seeing things as I once did. I wasn’t even consciously aware that I was expending so much energy and effort to just be able to function as I always had. It was not until after the surgery that I realized how much I was missing out on! Several hours after the surgery, I was discharged and was surprised at the quality and detail of the objects that I was able to see. Over the next few weeks, my eyesight continued to improve. I found myself looking at objects in new ways that I had never seen before. I found myself saying things like, “I never realized how good that tree looked”. This whole experience reminded me how easy it is to just accept that some things are as good as they can get.
What is it that allows us to settle for “good enough”? The majority of the time we don’t even realize that things could be any better. In my case, I didn’t know what I was missing out on until I literally saw what was possible. There are many aspects of our lives that we struggle with and just accept that “this is as good as it’s gonna get”. But what if that wasn’t true? What if we were capable and deserving of receiving the incredible rather than settling for good enough? Allow yourself to dream of how good things could be, and this will stir a passion within you. This dreaming has already raised the bar on what is imaginable. You don’t need to worry about the details, just keep the space open for it to be plausible.
A space of possibility is created when we become aware of the contrast between things as they are in comparison to how they could be. We become aware that things could be better and develop a greater appreciation for things as they improve. The opportunity for something better can open you to prospects that were not available to you before.
“When you allow yourself permission to dream the dream that you dare not say aloud, you awaken to possibilities that you were blind to. It’s like putting on a new pair of glasses for the first time. You start seeing everything with greater clarity and depth.” – Dr. Julie
Copyright Dr. Julie Doobay 2023
