The Eyes Have It!

If you had only the eyes of a person to reveal who he or she really is, what would you see?

​People fascinate me. Meeting people far beyond my realm of reference appeals to me. Travel allows me to step outside of my own comfy, gilded box, into the world of others. Navigating through a solitary, sometimes uncomfortable space, is what stirs my kettle of curiosity.

I was once asked, how can I travel to exotic locations, having very little knowledge of the local language and still communicate? My response is simple...just smile. My recipe for melting away cultural barriers is to smile first, then look at a person straight in the eye, and genuinely connect.

Whether it is a child on a mother's back, or an elegant elderly woman sitting on temple steps, I find the same quality in their eyes...their vital spark. Yes, the old cliche' is true: the eyes are portals of the soul. There is a vulnerability that resides only within a person's eyes that is undeniable. That is where a person's truth lies, not in the choice of clothes, the number of lines on their face, or dare I say, the color of their skin.

Each time I return home from a trip I promise myself, now and forever more, I will look beyond a person's external wrappings. I will look beyond their disappointment and fear, beyond their bravado and anger, and instead look deeply into their eyes, unmasking their radiant spirit.

​It's a challenge at times to peel away the protective cloaks of others. However, if you are willing to strip the layers away, one by one, you will discover glistening gold in them there eyes.

Up for the challenge?

​Live in color,
Abby