Jeepers Creepers, Thankful For the Peepers

Do you ever think about your 5 senses?  Most of the time we may agree that our senses are taken for granted.  As a humorous aside, perhaps we could add a 6^th sense of common sense to that list.  There is a quote out there that says that “common sense is uncommon.”  We each get to decide for ourselves how true that statement is.  Getting back to our original 5 senses usually given to us as a gift at birth may remind us that we have something amazing to put into use each & every day.  Are there scents that remind you of a favourite memory?  I will share with you that sometimes I bake homemade butter tarts to give to someone else yet this gift of the heart comes back at the same time every time in the form of a fond memory.  The fond memory is that in the smell of the tarts cooking, it brings back being in the kitchen with my grandma when I was a wee girl while she made butter tarts.  What an extraordinary baker she was.  Even with several of her recipes, there is no duplicating gran’s baking.  My heart believes that we each stir in our own love to homemade goodies so of course baking is going to taste different.  I like to bake like grandma did in many ways.  I love that feeling of not measuring out the ingredients for the most part & giving myself the creative license to modify ingredients each time.  And it was so neat to listen to grandma’s stories & just chat while we baked together.  Once the goodies were just cool enough to enjoy, we would always agree that it was time to put on the kettle & have tea & our creation of the day.  Afterwards we would do a craft.  Grandma had that natural ability to craft treasures out of just about anything that was already on hand.  We made stuffed frogs out of left over material & stuffed it full of beans & she sewed them up.  Also, we made trees out of candies & dolls out of yarn & empty hand soap containers.  Once we made a foot stool together out of empty large tomato cans & then she covered them with material & sewed it all together.  Our craft time was always accompanied by a cup of tea & laughter that to this day I remember vividly.  Through the time with grandma, all 5 senses were fully celebrated within each activity.

If you also have either type 1 diabetes or another 365 challenge, you may from time to time celebrate your 5 senses too.  I know that ever since I was diagnosed 5 ½ years ago, I have appreciated my 5 senses so much more.  Take for instance smell & taste.  If I am anticipating a baking spree in my kitchen, I look forward to the scent of the baking & the taste of the creation.  Just a wee sample is enjoyed all the more & savored like never before.  Just a few bites are all it takes to bring appreciation to the forefront when I make one of Grandma’s recipes.  I think I taste food all the more since being diagnosed.  When I have a treat, I enjoy it to the fullest.  How about tactile senses?  Since diagnosis, I have a new appreciation of playing with our sons outside in nature.  We get to explore together the different textures of Mother Nature’s wonders.  And listening to the boys as they laugh & run is the greatest music I will ever experience.

How about our peepers?  The list would be too lengthy to express appreciation for our sight.  We get to enjoy the faces that we love & the wonderment of nature & art & reading & watching our favourite shows & being able to drive to a friend’s place or other special places.  Sight is another great gift in the form of one of the senses.  If we have diabetes, we are extremely mindful that it is in our best interests to do everything that we can to enjoy eye health.  Once a year, I attend my appointment with our optometrist.  He is absolutely fantastic.  What a professional & he has a quiet reassurance & a thoroughness that I feel thankful for.  It is always a laugh to step into his office & see the picture of his graduating class on the wall.  Most graduating photos would include a group of well groomed folks dressed in the gowns & caps looking distinguished.  My optometrist’s graduating class however had a wee sense of humour in that they opted instead to have a class picture just of 1 eyeball of each graduate!  My opinion is surely a wee bit biased as well yet I admit that I feel even more confidence knowing that this doctor graduated from UW school of optometry!  Please don’t get me wrong, I know that there are many universities that have amazing optometry programs as well.  I feel biased though because I went to UW too although certainly not within the optometry field.

Yesterday, I did what I usually do at my eye health appointment.  I waited for that word from the optometrist of assurance that my eye health is unaffected by diabetes.  Yay, the word came in spades.  The bonus was that I also did not even need to get new reading glasses.  Psychologically, I had somehow convinced myself that my eyesight as far as reading goes had deteriorated.  Respectfully, the optometrist put those thoughts at bay & I realized that I was fortunate indeed in all the aspects of the yearly eye health check up.  It is cool looking at the pictures of the inside of my eyes & then having the doctor bring up the photos from 2008 & seeing a perfect match!  What a wonderful relief. 

My heart’s hope for you is that you are taking excellent care of your eye health too.  No one has to keep an “eye on” us because we know that we will look after our own appointments to try our best to prevent eye deterioration from diabetes.  We will do everything within our power to guard a sense that is so treasured & impacts so much of our day & our lives.  Afterall, “jeepers creepers, we gotta love our peepers!”

Smiles,  Saundie :)

May you "look" forward to a week of enjoying all your senses & speaking of eyes yet again, this Friday's sharing is entitled, "Through My Sons' Eyes!" :)