The eyes are the windows to your soul. After owning Prism Optical Chicago for almost 35 years, I can say with certainty yes, they are.
Ever since I was a kid, I loved to play sports. From fast pitching under the viaduct and ice skating in the winter when the city would freeze the park across the street from the Schwinn Bicycle factory. I played softball, basketball, floor hockey, and even coached cheerleading. Sports have always been a way to let go and be present in the moment. They allowed me to challenge myself and feel strong. My favorite by far was volleyball.
As an adult I coached volleyball for 16 years. Eight years were at St. Viator grammar school, where I also started the Eagle Invitational League. The last eight years at CICS Northtown, where I won coach of the year. I LOVED IT. I hoped every team member would love volleyball as much as I did, but most importantly, I wanted them to find value in themselves and in being part of a team. I wanted them to support each other and grow to not only be better players, but good people. I know I was not a perfect coach, trust me, but I always tried to figure out how to get the most out of my time with them and if something wasn’t working, I’d change it to something that was better.
When coaching was no longer and option, my love for being part of a team didn’t end. I decided to become a group fitness instructor. Kickbox cardio, Turbo Kick to be more precise, had helped me get into great shape and that’s what I taught. I tried to bring that team atmosphere into my classes. The high energy and great music made working out fun. However, I was no longer a spring chicken. So, I decided to expand into yoga.
I was going to just take one certification class to allow me to teach yoga at the gyms. Wow, was I wrong. After that first 18-hour training, I was hooked. Now, I’m just one 18-hour training away from earning my 500-hour yoga teacher certification, with a focus on yoga for healing trauma.
I feel I’m helping people see the world in more ways than one because obviously we use our eye to physically see our world, but sports, especially yoga (which is much more), helps us look inside. Yoga is the union of mind, body and spirit. There’s a saying, “The eyes are the windows to your soul” The exact origin of the quote in unknown and goes farther back than Shakespeare, but in yoga there’s a greeting, Namaste. My favorite meaning for that is, I bow to the Devine Soul or Light within you, within all of us.
I have looked into thousands of people’s eyes over the course of owning our business. Every pair of eyes has their own unique beauty and mystery. Some shy, some extremely out going. Some very sad and absolutely some very happy. Some sharing the recent death of a loved one and still others how they just became a parent only days ago. I’ve listened to all their needs and wants. I look them in the eyes and feel their spirit. I’ve noticed throughout my life, that even total strangers feel comfortable enough around me to share intimate details about their lives. I don’t always have answers, but I listen and feel compassion.
So hopefully you can understand now, that whether I’m helping someone pick out a pair of glasses or put on contact lenses for the first time, I see the joy in their eyes when they see the world around them come into focus. I have also seen that same joy and enthusiasm in my volleyball players, Turbo Kick team and now my yoga students. It’s an amazing feeling and I feel blessed to be part of it.