Open-ness

OK, so I said I would post about sunglasses.

Well, I was engaged wholly as a salesperson for 10 days. I knew our products, I had seen many of them, remembered others, memorized prices, etc, etc. I would judge people when they began to approach our tent whether the cry of "kamot!" "Nathan! kamot!" "Rea, kamot!" would ring out (it means hands or, more liberally "watch their hands!") or whether we would get up, and help the customer with a description of all the items they were likely to be interested in. Nothing perturbed me more than to have uppity people come in and stalk around the tent in sunglasses. Sunglasses, while they may have a purpose for helping one's eyes, are a barrier.

Luke 11:34-35
The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.

They cover the person's eyes (and in some cases most of their entire head) and you cannot tell if the person is utterly annoyed with you even saying hello/helping them/talking about 15 different types of firecrackers, or if they are completely at a loss to know what they are looking at and need help to find what they thought they wanted.

Most of the older generation would walk up and take their sunglasses OFF (or shove them up to the top of their head) when they entered/or were about to enter the tent. The rest of the people with sunglasses (and how can you see the lovely colors or notice details of interest and intrigue when your wold is a grey-blue?) would usually walk around in a very testy/bored way, and walk out.

I have had glasses for what seems to be most of my life now... I had never had the opportunity to wear sunglasses, because they are not (or were not?) made to fit over glasses, and the ones that are made for your glasses are/were rather expensive. Most of my family does not wear sunglasses. In fact, not many people I know do. So, this week was interesting in that I was unable to communicate well/much at all with people whose eyes/face/physiognomy was hidden from me. (I believe I first learnt that word from Jane Eyre...and I just googled it's spelling, so I know it is correct, although it's definition is most interesting....and I am highly pleased with my depth of language.....*pride moment*....ok.....I'm over it now)

So, when you want to talk to me....and when you want to be open with someone--don't wear sunglasses.
And if you want to really get to know someone....have them take off thier sunglasses.

But--the real test of knowing someone is when they can wear sunglasses and you know exactly what they are thinking....ie...I said some of this to my sister and she was wearing her new sunglasses, and she said "Well, what about me?" And I said, "1) I already know you. 2) We say the same thing at the same time, so I know a lot of how.what you think. 3) I can tell from your body language, and I don't entirely need your eyes."
Although...there have been times where even the sunglasses make it hard to tell her moods....