The Gift of Sight

I lay by the poolside, overlooking the sea in the serene surroundings of Ras Al Khaimah. My mind absorbed the sights and sounds as the sun set over the horizon. I was mesmerized by the changing hues of the sky –  from a cerulean blue to fuchsia to tangerine orange. As streaks of crimson red kissed the azure waters before the sun finally bid goodbye, I had just witnessed the most vibrant palette of all the brilliant shades of life.

I stepped out of the pool and changed for supper. As I headed towards the dining hall, I was greeted with a warm embrace, it was none other than my dear friend Dr. Haroon Amdani from Sri Lanka. He sat me down and discussed a project that would make a difference to millions around the world. The WMO Far East Chapter would donate eyes to countries that were reeling under the onslaught of curable blindness. In a majority of these cases, the sight lost due to an opaque cornea (the outermost layer of the eye) could be restored by replacing it with a clear one. This remarkable endeavour that the Far East Chapter was about to embark on would bridge the gap between availability and requirement of healthy corneas. We were about to change lives.

When I stepped onto the Indian shores, I visited a renowned institute for the visually impaired. I met many children, some quite young who were suffering from corneal deformities and awaiting a transplant to restore their vision. It was heart wrenching as their entire life lay ahead of them. With their lives plunged into darkness, the only colour they were accustomed to, was Black. All it would take, was a simple donation of a healthy set of eyes to change their lives.

As I walked out of the institute, the sun was setting on the Mumbai shores. As I enjoyed the myriad hues, my heart was surprisingly, at peace and a sense of fulfilment engulfed my body. I was an integral part of an organisation that was exporting goodwill around the World. An organisation that was spreading the light by delivering the invaluable gift of sight. Some day, someone would enjoy this beautiful sunset with a set of eyes donated by the World Memon Organisation.

And would he not thank the Lord for creating the most stunning canvas and would she not be grateful to witness a masterpiece filled with the most vibrant colours that distinctly lacked every shade of Black!