…Blink

I had just lost a staring contest. But while playing, I realized how rarely I paid attention to my friend’s eyes. And I had a sudden recollection: My classmates and I were trying to create a modern adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” in English class. We were having trouble relating the importance of eyes to modern society.

“Hey, do you guys look at girls’ eyes?” a girl asked the two boys in our group. They stared back blankly and responded with nervous “Ehhs.” The girl almost recoiled at their replies. I asked a friend nearby what his take was. After nodding his head a couple of times, he said, “Well, first I look at their face, look down…” He paused as if he had found the answer to a confounding life question and said, “And then I look at their eyes.” I received similar responses from my other male friends. I was a bit shocked by their answers. Are eyes overlooked in modern society?

Eyes define people: they’re a window into someone’s personality, their likes and dislikes, their feelings. You look out, and others look in. Our eyes tell our story. They tell people how happy we are when we ace an insanely hard math test, or how upset we are with the lousy cafeteria food, or how little sleep we got last night because we had to finish an essay. You can fake a smile, but a true smile comes from the eyes.

Although eyes are constantly exposed to public view, they’ve taken a backseat to other parts of the body. Guys wear muscle shirts and girls wear skinny jeans to show off.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look your best. But when other details are stressed, the basics of beauty get lost. You may not always have makeup and expensive clothing, but you’ll always have your eyes. Why not work with what you have? They tell the most about you, and they’re guaranteed to be uniquely beautiful.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, it’s nice to look a loved one in eye, be it family, friend or overly pampered pet, and tell them how much you care. Just don’t stare.