The Color Green

A couple of weeks ago Gavin's family was visiting and I learned that Gavin was color blind. He didn't even know he was color blind himself till he was in high school. I think it started with an Easter Egg hunt and he took someone's else eggs thinking they were his. 

I thought about his color blindness for along time after that. I remembered that years ago I watched a YouTube video with a bunch of small clips of people putting on these magic glasses to help them see color. 

I asked Gavin if he had ever thought of getting those glasses. He said he knew about them but didn't know if they would help him see color. I decided it was worth a shot, so I went and bought him the glasses in Honolulu. Once we had the glasses in the car with us we knew that we didn't want him to put them on in the parking garage. Gavin suggested we drive to Spitting Cave, one of his favorite spots on the island. 

When we got there he stood on the rocks and looked around one last time at the ocean and trees as he has known them to be. After his last look he put his glasses on. The second they were on I could see it in his face and eyes what he was seeing for the first time. He was speechless. He pulled the glasses back down under his nose and then back up. Looking in the frame and then not. It was really special seeing Gavin see the color green for the first time. I think he was literally speechless. He had tears in his eyes as he looked around at the beautiful island. 

The ride home was probably the best part of him experiencing color. When he saw a red stop sign I had to stop the car so he could get out and stare at it. He was freaking out at the red light, red curb, and all the different colors of flowers in the trees. He also couldn't believe how green the grass was on the side of the road. He screamed that's the greenest grass ever! We drove the long way around the island back to the other side. It reminded me of that scene from "The Giver" where Jonas receives the memory of color and sound. And how life changing those memories are. I imagine the same was for Gavin. 

The rest of the way home was a roller coaster of excitement! One minute we were both laughing and screaming the next second were crying because we were so happy. We were just all over the place. I think we stayed outside till it was completely dark. 

The next morning we got up early to watch the sun rise so Gavin could see the different colors of the sun. For the next week I don't remember us doing anything but literally watching the grass grow. Gavin getting his glasses helped me see the details in nature and the world around me. There is so much color around. 

I think Gavin and my dad both bore their testimonies about how the glasses are like the gospel. You don't know what your missing until you put them on and try them out. Gospel helps us see everything clearer and gives us a better perspective. I love this analogy. April 6th 2021 is day we both won't ever forget. It was the day that Gavin saw the color green for the first time.