Looking away from the screen

I was waiting at the optician’s office wondering what she would have to say. I had been experiencing some sort of a headache every evening on the days I was at work. It is not the sort that worries you but rather nags you. I wondered if it was something serious or if it was just that my vision had deteriorated to a point where I needed new glasses. She walked out and announced that my vision had improved leaving me completely stunned. She said that my vision had improved ever so slightly and that there was no need to changes my glasses. So I quipped her on the reason for the nagging headache and she simply brushed it away saying that it is because I work on the computer for long periods of time. She suggested that I don’t wear my glasses (short-sighted) while I work on the computer. She also suggested that I look away from the screen once in a while so that my eyes do not get strained. Strained eyes usually cause a nagging headache and she said that I need to look away and blink a few times. Maybe even focus on something else for a while. Then she said it…… “It happens as you grow older”.

As with eyes so goes with life. It occurred to me that as I have grown older I have developed certain rigidity to my thoughts and habits. There is a tendency to hold on to a point of view and not let go. A lot of times the arguments I have has no real relevance or significance to me, but just the fact that I am in the argument makes me want to win it. Most times it ends up giving me a headache after the fact and almost always I wish I had not gone down that path. I have noticed this trait in a lot of people that I have argued with. I wonder if this is a trait that develops with age. Why do people sometimes go into a mode of arguing to win rather than arguing to get a point across? Why do some people get consumed by a problem and are unwilling to walk away from it and revisit it when emotions have calmed? Why do I look at the screen harder when I cant fix a bug in my code?

I wish we could all look away from the screen. Maybe focus on the picture that is hanging on the wall. Take a deep breath and then look back again. After all, we are all aging and aging eyes need refocusing. Maybe we will see the screen that much more clearly.

Comments

Jas said…
talk about yourself buddy! i am getting younger by the day!!!
AMF said…
I agree we do go rigid with age. I like to call it conditioned to think a particular way... our brain does not want to take that effort to think otherwise or differently...no one likes getting out of their comfort zone...
Anonymous said…
excellent!! I loved the correlation!!

Popular posts from this blog

To you my brother

Mathematics and I

Politician speaking