New Eyeglasses

In this, my 39th year, I have been inspired to bring back the quirkiness of my personality.  I think I might have let my inner crazy become a little disguised this past decade and a half that I’ve been parenting, and I think it’s time to throw back the curtains and unleash aspects of my personality that been underscored by the all encompassing aspects of parenting.

What happened to the college student who invented her own language to speak with friends, where all the words were related to vegetables and cheese?  I’ve not muttered in veggie-cheese language for more than a decade.

For a couple of years now I’ve been wearing cheap nonprescription sunglasses with cat-eye lenses.  I researched what kind of lens looked good on my face shape a few years ago, and the result was cat-eye.  So I got super ridiculous cheap sunglasses that really, really make a statement, and made my children cringe.

I hadn’t been to the optometry department for 8 years to have my eyes checked, which was not really a problem because my eyes didn’t really change over all that time.  I am supposed to wear glasses to drive and see in the distance, but I take them off for reading, and then always misplace them.  This, in addition to the fact that my glasses have been somewhat broken for about 6 years meant that I’ve not worn glasses very much.

One night Dr. Peds showed me a couple of websites where you can order really cheap prescription eyeglasses.  You can even upload your picture and “try on” the glasses to see what they look like on your face.  Guess what!  The cat-eye glasses really DID look the best!  It was so inspiring that I made an appointment with the eye doctor to check my prescription, which had slightly, but barely changed.

Armed with the new prescription, I was able to order FOUR pairs of new eyeglasses for less than half the price my last pair was 8 years ago.  One pair is a wonderful set of prescription sunglasses for driving.  They are large purple cat-eye lenses with pink shades.  My world is rosy.  The other three are also cat-eye lenses, and this snazzy purple pair pictured at the top of this post is my absolute favorite. I really feel like I’ve come into my own self when I’m wearing them.

When I opened the package from the mail and tried them on, the realization dawned on each kidlet, one at a time, that these glasses were not cheap sunglasses, but real glasses and that I would be wearing them all the time.  They may have been a bit dismayed.  When I picked up YaYa at her friend’s house wearing the glasses for the first time later that day, she may have gotten a bit teary eyed, slightly hysterically begging me never to pick her up again:  Send dad.

Unfortunately for her, the paternal figure in this family happens to work a lot.

Some people at church didn’t recognize me.  My own children have occasionally tried to hide from my in public. That’s all OK.

I’ve worn my glasses in the last few weeks more than I’ve worn prescription eyewear in the last 8 years.  I’m a happy lady.  Cat-eye lenses give me joy.  It’s time to be quirky again.