I Have One Blue Eye and
One Green Eye

by Jennifer Willis
(Provident Living Today)

Fiction

I have one blue eye and one green eye. The blue eye sees truth, but the green eye sees much much more. Now you might wonder how I came to this strange sort of arrangement with my eyeballs.

I was born with two beautiful bright blue eyes. All of my brothers, and sisters have blue eyes and we are quite content with our eye color.

For most of my life I sought for truth wanting everything to be fair and just, for that is just the way it should be. When someone would speak, I would look into their eyes to see if they were telling the truth. If they were telling the truth, I would trust them. If they were lying, I would do my best to be kind to them, but I would not let them into my heart.

But still I was searching for happiness. As I looked into other's eyes searching for the truth, it occurred to me that my vision was lacking. My blue eyes of truth had served me well, but I knew that I was missing something. What was it? Why did I feel that I still did not see clearly? For many days and months I thought about these questions.

Then it happened. I was taking my afternoon walk down a country road near my home. As I walked, I thought about happiness. As I continued down the road, a stranger came into view. He was traveling along another road. Soon the two roads joined, and we began to walk together. He was a wise old man, and I thought he was quite a fast walker for his age.

When I looked into his eyes, immediately I knew I could trust him. His eyes were the color of emeralds, and they glistened as he smiled and listened. He didn't say much, but I was so comfortable in his presence that I felt myself wanting to share the greatest desires of my heart.

I told this stranger, who hardly seemed like a stranger at all, that I desired greater happiness in my life. I knew my vision was lacking, but I needed help in improving my eyesight.

He offered me a gift. I wondered what kind of gift it might be. He said that if I would give him one of my bright blue eyes, he would give me one of his emerald green eyes.

I loved and trusted this new found friend and knew his gift would change my life. Immediately I said, "Yes, yes!" I looked into his eyes and saw that he had one blue eye and one green eye. I didn't know how it was done, but I knew the exchange had occurred.

As I looked up at the hillside, I saw it covered with beautiful flowers. That's strange. The grass was just beginning to turn green this morning, now the hillside was covered with summer flowers.

When I turned back to the stranger to explain the peculiar phenomena, he was gone. Where did he go? Oh I still have things that I want to discuss and discover with him.

I continued walking down the path and came upon a neighbor. Now this was one of those neighbors that you couldn't trust. She was always gossiping about something. She had a way of stirring up trouble wherever she went. Most people tried to avoid her.

I was in a particularly good mood because of my long walk with the wise old man, so I decided to walk with her for a while. Maybe I could lift her spirits like the old man had lifted mine.

The oddest thing happened as we walked. She no longer annoyed me. She was gracious, kind, and lovely. How could that be? How could she change just like that?

What kind of eye did the man give me? I was seeing the same things, but they seemed different. First the summer flowers on the hillside and then my annoying neighbor who no longer bothered me.

I pondered over the strangeness of the afternoon as I approached my home. Just then my little boy ran out to meet me. He wanted to walk home with me. As we walked up the last stretch of the lane, he grew before my very eyes. He no longer was a bouncing little boy but was a strong, handsome man.

A question came into my mind, "What sort of eye did you receive?"

I replied to the voice in my head, "A green eye."

"Is that all you noticed? The color?"

"No, I see things differently, but I really don't understand what's happening."

Then I heard the voice of the wise old man, "Your blue eye shows you what is while your green eye shows you what will be. When you see out of your blue eye, you will see the present. When you see out of your green eye, you will see the future. Learn to use both of your eyes, and they will serve you well. Now go and be happy."