第32章ThreeDaystoSee(1)

第32章threedaystosee(1)

·helenkeller·

allofushavereadthrillingstoriesinwhichtheherohadonlyalimitedandspecifiedtimetolive.sometimesitwasaslongasayear，sometimesasshortastwenty-fourhours，butalwayswewereinterestedindiscoveringjusthowthedoomedmanchosetospendhislastyearsorhislasthours.ispeak，ofcourse，offreemenwhohaveachoice，notcondemnedcriminalswhosesphereofactivitiesisstrictlylimited.

suchstoriessetupthinking，wonderingwhatweshoulddoundersimilarcircumstances.whatassociationsshouldwecrowdintothoselasthoursasmortalbeings?whathappinessshouldwefindinreviewingthepast，whatregrets?

sometimesihavethoughtitwouldbeanexcellentruletoliveeachdayasifweshoulddietomorrow.suchanattitudewouldemphasizesharplythevaluesoflife.weshouldliveeachdaywithagentleness，avigor，andakeennessofappreciationonwhichareoftenlostwhentimesstretchesbeforeusintheconstantpanoramaofmoredaysandmonthsandyearstocome.therearethose，ofcourse，whowouldadopttheepicureanmottoof“eat，drink，andbemerry，”mostpeoplewouldbechastenedbythecertaintyofimpendingdeath.

mostofustakelifeforgranted.weknowthatonedaywemustdie，butusuallywepicturethatdayasfarinthefuture，whenweareinbuoyanthealth，deathisallbutunimaginable.weseldomthinkofit.thedaysstretchoutinanendlessvista.sowegoaboutourpettytasks，hardlyawareofourlistlessattitudetowardslife.

thesamelethargy,iamafraid,characterizestheuseofourfacultiesandsenses.onlythedeafappreciatehearing，onlytheblindrealizethemanifoldblessingsthatlieinsight.particularlydoesthisobservationapplytothosewhohavelostsightandhearinginadultlife.butthosewhohaveneversufferedimpairmentofsightorhearingseldommakethefullestuseoftheseblessedfaculties.theireyesandearstakeinallsightsandsoundhazily，withoutconcentration，andwithlittleappreciation.itisthesameoldstoryofnotbeinggratefulforourhealthuntilweareill

nowandthenihavetestedmyseeingfriendstodiscoverwhattheysee.recentlyiwasvisitedbyaverygoodfriendwhohadjustreturnedfromalongwalkinthewoods，andiaskedherwhatshehadobserved.“nothinginparticular，”shereplied.imighthavebeenincreduloushadinotbeenaccustomedtosuchresponses，forlongagoibecameconvincedthattheseeingseelittle.