Now and then I have tested my seeing friends to discover what they see. Recently I was visited by a very good friend who had just returned from a long walk in the woods， and I asked her what she had observed.\"Nothing in particular¹，\" she replied.I might have been incredulous² had I not been accustomed³ to such responses， for long ago I became convinced that the seeing see little.

How was it possible， I asked myself， to walk for an hour through the woods and see nothing worthy of note? I who cannot see find hundreds of things to interest me through mere touch.I feel the delicate symmetry of a leaf. I pass my hands lovingly about the smooth skin of a silver birch， or the rough shaggy bark of a pine. In spring I touch the branches of trees hopefully in search of a bud， the first sign of awakening Nature after her winter's sleep I feel the delightful， velvety⁴ texture of a flower， and discover its remarkable convolutions; and something of the miracle of Nature is revealed to me. Occasionally， if I am very fortunate， I place my hand gently in a small tree and feel the happy quiver of a bird in full song. I am delighted to have cool waters of a brook rush through my open fingers. To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxuriouse Persian rug. Tome the pageant of seasons is a thrilling and unending drama， the action of which streams through my finger tips. At times my heart cries out with longing to see all these things. If I can get so much pleasure from meretouch， how much more beauty must be revealed by sight. Yet， those who have eyes apparently see little. The panorama of color and action filling the world is taken for granted. It is human， perhaps， to appreciate little that which we have and to long for that which we have not， but it is a great pity that in the world of light and the gift of sight is used only as mere convenience rather than as a means of adding fullness to life.

注釋：

1. particular adj. 獨特的

2. incredulous adj.不輕信時

3. accustomed adj．通常的，慣常的

4. velvety adj．似天鵝的，柔軟的

5. luxurious n．奢華的，奢侈的

有時我會試探我的非盲的朋友們，想知道他們看見了什么。最近我的一位非常要好的朋友來看我，她剛剛在樹林里走了很長時間，我問她看見了什么?！皼]什么特別的，”她回答說。如果不是我早已習慣了這樣的回答，我也許不會輕易相信，因為我早就相信了有眼人看不見什么。

我問自己，在樹林中走了一小時，怎么可能沒有值得注意的東西呢?而我一個盲人僅僅通過觸摸就發(fā)現(xiàn)了數(shù)以百計的有趣的東西。我感到樹葉的對稱美，用手摸著白樺樹光滑的樹皮或是松樹那粗糙的厚厚的樹皮。春天里我滿懷希望觸摸著樹枝尋找新芽，那是大自然冬眠后醒來的第一個征象。我感到了花朵的可愛和茸茸的感覺，發(fā)現(xiàn)它層層疊疊地綻開著，大自然的神奇展現(xiàn)在我的面前。當我把手輕輕地放在一棵小樹上，如果幸運的話，偶爾會感到歌唱的小鳥歡快的顫動。我會愉快地讓清涼的溪水從手指間流過。對我來說，滿地厚厚的松針和松軟的草坪比奢華的波斯地毯更惹人喜愛。對我來說四季景色的變換就如同一場動人心魄不會謝幕的戲劇一樣，劇中的人物動作從我的指尖流過。我的心不時在吶喊，帶著對光明的渴望。既然僅僅通過觸摸就能使我獲得如此多的喜悅，那么光明定會展示更多美好的事物啊。 可惜的是那些有眼睛的人分明看到很少，整個世界繽紛的色彩和萬物的活動都被認為是理所當然。不珍惜已經(jīng)擁有的，想得到還沒有得到的，也許這就是人性的特點，但是在光明的世界里只把視覺當作一種方便的工具，而不是豐富生活的工具，這是多么令人遺憾的事情啊。