From Rolling Over To Retinas: A Little Reminder of How Amazing We Are
Yesterday reminded me just how impressive we are as humans.
Without giving you my life story, here’s a quick snapshot: My wife and I are dog-sitting her parents’ lovely old blind lab. After the morning walk, we dashed to Patrick’s Water Babies class in Guisborough. When we got home — surprise! — a lovely, smelly present on the hall carpet. A very sloppy one.
We’d put the dog in the garden, Patrick on the play mat, and I was rummaging through cupboards looking for extra cloths and Dettol when Hannah called out…
I braced for more poo…
But instead — there he was: Patrick, beaming on his front.
We’d put him down on his back.
He’d rolled over. Properly. For the first time.
A few days ago, he kept getting stuck — legs would go, arms wouldn’t. But now he’d figured it out. And within minutes, he did it again. It’s easy to forget, but we all started like this: messy, determined learning machines.
And honestly, it left me in awe. The human body is amazing.
Patrick’s Big Flip!
A cheeky grin after conquering his first gymnastic roll-over!
As an optician, I spend my days looking at one of the most impressive systems we’ve got: your vision.
It’s just electrical signals firing in the retina, racing through the optic nerve, lighting up the brain’s visual cortex… and somehow creating the “picture” you see. A full cinematic experience from biology alone.
We often take it for granted — until something goes wrong. That’s why I’ve recently extended our enhanced eye tests to 50 minutes. Not because we’re trying to sound fancy, but because we use some of the most advanced zipperty-zapperty gadgets you’ll find anywhere (and yes, that’s the technical term).
They help us catch things early — before they become an issue — so you can feel confident your eyes are in good shape.
You wouldn’t rush an MOT for your car (especially if it’s a classic). Well, your eyes are even more valuable — and unlike a car, you can’t replace them.
So if you know anyone who is overdue an eye MOT, send them over…
Not just to tick a box — but to appreciate just how miraculous vision really is.
Until next time, dear readers - take care, and embrace the world!