College English http://210.29.168.

137/SudaCEO
Three Days to See
Helen Keller (1880--1968
!ll o" us ha#e $ead th$illing sto$ies in %hi&h the he$o had onl' a li(ited and spe&i"ied ti(e to
li#e. So(eti(es it %as as long as a 'ea$) so(eti(es as sho$t as t%ent'-"ou$ hou$s. *ut al%a's %e
%e$e inte$ested in dis&o#e$ing +ust ho% the doo(ed (an &hose to spend his last da's o$ his last
hou$s. , spea-. o" &ou$se. o" "$ee (en %ho ha#e a &hoi&e. not &onde(ned &$i(inals %hose sphe$e
o" a&ti#ities is st$i&tl' deli(ited.
Su&h sto$ies set us thin-ing. %onde$ing %hat %e should do unde$ si(ila$ &i$&u(stan&es. /hat
e#ents. %hat e0pe$ien&es. %hat asso&iations should %e &$o%d into those last hou$s as (o$tal
1eings2 /hat happiness should %e "ind in $e#ie%ing the past. %hat $eg$ets2
So(eti(es , ha#e thought it %ould 1e an e0&ellent $ule to li#e ea&h da' as i" %e should die
to(o$$o%. Su&h an attitude %ould e(phasi3e sha$pl' the #alues o" li"e. /e should li#e ea&h da'
%ith a gentleness. a #igo$. and a -eenness o" app$e&iation %hi&h a$e o"ten lost %hen ti(e st$et&hes
1e"o$e us in the &onstant pano$a(a o" (o$e da's and (onths and 'ea$s to &o(e. 4he$e a$e those.
o" &ou$se. %ho %ould adopt the epi&u$ean (otto o" 5Eat. d$in-. and 1e (e$$'.5 1ut (ost people
%ould 1e &hastened 1' the &e$taint' o" i(pending death.
,n sto$ies. the doo(ed he$o is usuall' sa#ed at the last (inute 1' so(e st$o-e o" "o$tune. 1ut
al(ost all his sense o" #alues is &hanged. 6e 1e&o(es (o$e app$e&iati#e o" the (eaning o" li"e and
its pe$(anent spi$itual #alues. ,t has o"ten 1een noted that those %ho li#e. o$ ha#e li#ed. in the
shado% o" death 1$ing a (ello% s%eetness to e#e$'thing the' do.
7ost o" us. ho%e#e$. ta-e li"e "o$ g$anted. /e -no% that one da' %e (ust die. 1ut usuall' %e
pi&tu$e that da' as "a$ in the "utu$e. /hen %e a$e in 1uo'ant health. death is all 1ut uni(agina1le.
/e seldo( thin- o" it. 4he da's st$et&h out in an endless #ista. So %e go a1out ou$ pett' tas-s.
ha$dl' a%a$e o" ou$ listless attitude to%a$d li"e.
4he sa(e letha$g'. , a( a"$aid. &ha$a&te$i3es the use o" all ou$ "a&ulties and senses. Onl' the
dea" app$e&iate hea$ing. onl' the 1lind $eali3e the (ani"old 1lessings that lie in sight. 8a$ti&ula$l'
does this o1se$#ation appl' to those %ho ha#e lost sight and hea$ing in adult li"e. *ut those %ho
ne#e$ su""e$ed i(pai$(ent o" sight o$ hea$ing seldo( (a-e the "ullest use o" these 1lessed
"a&ulties. 4hei$ e'es and ea$s ta-e in all sights and sounds ha3il' %ithout &on&ent$ation. and %ith
little app$e&iation. ,t is the sa(e old sto$' o" not 1eing g$ate"ul "o$ %hat %e ha#e until %e lose it.
o" not 1eing &ons&ious o" health until %e a$e ill.
, ha#e o"ten thought it %ould 1e a 1lessing i" ea&h hu(an 1eing %e$e st$i&-en 1lind and dea"
"o$ a "e% da's at so(e ti(e du$ing his ea$l' adult li"e. 9a$-ness %ould (a-e hi( (o$e
app$e&iati#e o" sight) silen&e %ould tea&h hi( the +o's o" sound.
:o% and then , ha#e tested (' seeing "$iends to dis&o#e$ %hat the' see. ;e&entl' , %as
#isited 1' a #e$' good "$iend %ho had +ust $etu$ned "$o( a long %al- in the %oods. and , as-ed he$
%hat she had o1se$#ed. 5:othing in pa$ti&ula$.5 she $eplied. , (ight ha#e 1een in&$edulous had ,
not 1een a&&usto(ed to su&h $esponses. "o$ long ago , 1e&a(e &on#in&ed that the seeing see little.
6o% %as it possi1le. , as-ed ('sel". to %al- "o$ an hou$ th$ough the %oods and see nothing
%o$th' o" note2 , %ho &annot see "ind hund$eds o" things to inte$est (e th$ough (e$e tou&h. , "eel
the deli&ate s'((et$' o" a lea". , pass (' hands lo#ingl' a1out the s(ooth s-in o" a sil#e$ 1i$&h.
College English http://210.29.168.137/SudaCEO
o$ the shagg' $ough 1a$- o" a pine. ,n sp$ing , tou&h the 1$an&hes o" t$ees hope"ull' in sea$&h o" a
1ud. the "i$st sign o" a%a-ening :atu$e a"te$ he$ %inte$<s sleep. , "eel the delight"ul. #el#et' te0tu$e
o" a "lo%e$. and dis&o#e$ its $e(a$-a1le &on#olutions) and so(ething o" the (i$a&le o" :atu$e is
$e#ealed to (e. O&&asionall'. i" , a( "o$tunate. , pla&e (' hand gentl' on a s(all t$ee and "eel the
happ' =ui#e$ o" a 1i$d in "ull song. , a( delighted to ha#e the &ool %ate$s o" a 1$oo- $ush th$ough
(' open "inge$s. 4o (e a lush &a$pet o" pine needles o$ spong' g$ass is (o$e %el&o(e than the
(ost lu0u$ious 8e$sian $ug. 4o (e the pageant o" seasons is a th$illing and unending d$a(a. the
a&tion o" %hi&h st$ea(s th$ough (' "inge$tips.
!t ti(es (' hea$t &$ies out %ith longing to see all these things. ," , &an get so (u&h pleasu$e
"$o( (e$e tou&h. ho% (u&h (o$e 1eaut' (ust 1e $e#ealed 1' sight. >et. those %ho ha#e e'es
appa$entl' see little. 4he pano$a(a o" &olo$ and a&tion %hi&h "ills the %o$ld is ta-en "o$ g$anted. ,t
is hu(an. pe$haps. to app$e&iate little that %hi&h %e ha#e and to long "o$ that %hi&h %e ha#e not.
1ut it is a g$eat pit' that in the %o$ld o" light the gi"t o" sight is used onl' as a (e$e &on#enien&e
$athe$ than as a (eans o" adding "ullness to li"e.
," , %e$e the p$esident o" a uni#e$sit' , should esta1lish a &o(pulso$' &ou$se in 56o% to ?se
>ou$ E'es.5 4he p$o"esso$ %ould t$' to sho% his pupils ho% the' &ould add +o' to thei$ li#es 1'
$eall' seeing %hat passes unnoti&ed 1e"o$e the(. 6e %ould t$' to a%a-e thei$ do$(ant and
sluggish "a&ulties.
Suppose 'ou set 'ou$ (ind to %o$- on the p$o1le( o" ho% 'ou %ould use 'ou$ o%n e'es i"
'ou ha#e onl' th$ee (o$e da's to see. ," %ith the on&o(ing da$-ness o" the thi$d night 'ou -ne%
that the sun %ould ne#e$ $ise "o$ 'ou again. ho% %ould 'ou spend those th$ee p$e&ious inte$#ening
da's2 /hat %ould 'ou (ost %ant to let 'ou$ ga3e $est upon2
,. natu$all'. should %ant (ost to see the things %hi&h ha#e 1e&o(e dea$ to (e th$ough ('
'ea$s o" da$-ness. >ou. too. %ould %ant to let 'ou$ e'es $est long on the things that ha#e 1e&o(e
dea$ to 'ou so that 'ou &ould ta-e the (e(o$' o" the( %ith 'ou into the night that loo(ed 1e"o$e
'ou.
, should %ant to see the people %hose -indness and gentleness and &o(panionship ha#e (ade
(' li"e %o$th li#ing. @i$st , li-e to ga3e long upon the "a&e o" (' dea$ tea&he$. 7$s. !nne Sulli#an
7a&'. %ho &a(e to (e %hen , %as a &hild and opened the oute$ %o$ld to (e. , should %ant not
(e$el' to see the outline o" he$ "a&e. so that , &ould &he$ish it in (' (e(o$'. 1ut to stud' that "a&e
and "ind in it the li#ing e#iden&e o" the s'(patheti& tende$ness and patien&e %ith %hi&h she
a&&o(plished the di""i&ult tas- o" (' edu&ation. , should li-e to see in he$ e'es that st$ength o"
&ha$a&te$ %hi&h has ena1led he$ to stand "i$( in the "a&e o" di""i&ulties. and that &o(passion "o$ all
hu(anit' %hi&h she has $e#ealed to (e so o"ten.
, do not -no% %hat it is to see into the hea$t o" a "$iend th$ough that 5%indo% o" the soul.5 the
e'e. , &an onl' 5see5 th$ough (' "inge$tips the outline o" a "a&e. , &an dete&t laughte$. so$$o%. and
(an' othe$ o1#ious e(otions. , -no% (' "$iends "$o( the "eel o" thei$ "a&es. *ut , &annot $eall'
pi&tu$e thei$ pe$sonalities. 1' tou&h. , -no% thei$ pe$sonalities. o" &ou$se. th$ough othe$ (eans.
th$ough the thoughts the' e0p$ess to (e. th$ough %hate#e$ o" thei$ a&tions a$e $e#ealed to (e. *ut
, a( denied that deepe$ unde$standing o" the( %hi&h , a( su$e %ould &o(e th$ough sight o" the(.
th$ough %at&hing thei$ $ea&tions to #a$ious e0p$essed thoughts and &i$&u(stan&es. th$ough noting
the i((ediate and "leeting $ea&tions o" thei$ e'es and &ountenan&e.
@$iends %ho a$e nea$ to (e , -no% %ell. 1e&ause th$ough the (onths and 'ea$s the' $e#eal
the(sel#es to (e in all thei$ phases) 1ut o" &asual "$iends , ha#e onl' an in&o(plete i(p$ession. an
i(p$ession gained "$o( a hand&lasp. "$o( spo-en %o$ds %hi&h , ta-e "$o( thei$ lips %ith ('
College English http://210.29.168.137/SudaCEO
"inge$ tips. o$ %hi&h the' tap into the pal( o" (' hand.
6o% (u&h easie$. ho% (u&h (o$e satis"'ing it is "o$ 'ou %ho &an see to g$asp =ui&-l' the
essential =ualities o" anothe$ pe$son 1' %at&hing the su1tleties o" e0p$ession. the =ui#e$ o" a
(us&le. the "lutte$ o" a hand. *ut does it e#e$ o&&u$ to 'ou to use 'ou$ sight to see into the inne$
natu$e o" a "$iend o$ a&=uaintan&e2 9o not (ost o" 'ou seeing people g$asp &asuall' the out%a$d
"eatu$es o" a "a&e and let it go at that2
@o$ instan&e. &an 'ou des&$i1e a&&u$atel' the "a&es o" "i#e good "$iends2 So(e o" 'ou &an. 1ut
(an' &annot. !s an e0pe$i(ent. , ha#e =uestioned hus1ands o" long standing a1out the &olo$ o"
thei$ %i#es< e'es. and o"ten the' e0p$ess e(1a$$assed &on"usion and ad(it that the' do not -no%.
!nd. in&identall'. it is a &h$oni& &o(plaint o" %i#es that thei$ hus1ands do not noti&e ne% d$esses.
ne% hats. and &hanges in household a$$ange(ents.
4he e'es o" seeing pe$sons soon 1e&o(e a&&usto(ed to the $outine o" thei$ su$$oundings. and
the' a&tuall' see onl' the sta$tling and spe&ta&ula$. *ut e#en in #ie%ing the (ost spe&ta&ula$ sights
the e'es a$e la3'. Cou$t $e&o$ds $e#eal e#e$' da' ho% ina&&u$atel' 5e'e%itnesses5 see. ! gi#en
e#ent %ill 1e 5seen5 in se#e$al di""e$ent %a's 1' as (an' %itnesses. So(e see (o$e than othe$s.
1ut "e% see e#e$'thing that is %ithin the $ange o" thei$ #ision.
Oh. the things that , should see i" , had the po%e$ o" sight "o$ +ust th$ee da'sA
-END-
BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB
Life is a field of newly fallen snow; where we choose to walk every step will show.