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1ThreeDaystoSeeHelenKellerAllofushavereadthrillingstoriesinwhichtheherohadonlyalimitedandspecifiedtimetolive.Sometimesitwasaslongasayear;sometimesasshortastwenty-fourhours.Butalwayswewereinterestedindiscoveringjusthowthedoomedmanchosetospendhislastdaysorhislasthours.Ispeak,ofcourse,offreemenwhohaveachoice,notcondemnedcriminalswhosesphereofactivitiesisstrictlydelimited.Suchstoriessetusthinking,wonderingwhatweshoulddoundersimilarcircumstances.Whatevents,whatexperiences,whatassociationsshouldwecrowdintothoselasthoursasmortalbeings?Whathappinessshouldwefindinreviewingthepast,whatregrets?SometimesIhavethoughtitwouldbeanexcellentruletoliveeachdayasifweshoulddietomorrow.Suchanattitudewouldemphasizesharplythevaluesoflife.Weshouldliveeachdaywithagentleness,avigor,andakeennessofappreciationwhichareoftenlostwhentimestretchesbeforeusintheconstantpanoramaofmoredaysandmonthsandyearstocome.Therearethose,ofcourse,whowouldadopttheEpicureanmottoof“Eat,drink,andbemerry,”butmostpeoplewouldbechastenedbythecertaintyofimpendingdeath.Instoriesthedoomedheroisusuallysavedatthelastminutebysomestrokeoffortune,butalmostalwayshissenseofvaluesischanged.Hebecomesmoreappreciativeofthemeaningoflifeanditspermanentspiritualvalues.Ithasoftenbeennotedthatthosewholive,orhavelived,intheshadowofdeathbringamellowsweetnesstoeverythingtheydo.Mostofus,however,takelifeforgranted.Weknowthatonedaywemustdie,butusuallywepicturethatdayasfarinthefuture.Whenweareinbuoyanthealth,deathisallbutunimaginable.Weseldomthinkofit.Thedaysstretchoutinan2endlessvista.Sowegoaboutourpettytasks,hardlyawareofourlistlessattitudetowardlife.Thesamelethargy,Iamafraid,characterizestheuseofallourfacultiesandsenses.Onlythedeafappreciatehearing,onlytheblindrealizethemanifoldblessingsthatlieinsight.Particularlydoesthisobservationapplytothosewhohavelostsightandhearinginadultlife.Butthosewhohaveneversufferedimpairmentofsightorhearingseldommakethefullestuseoftheseblessedfaculties.Theireyesandearstakeinallsightsandsoundshazily,withoutconcentrationandwithlittleappreciation.Itisthesameoldstoryofnotbeinggratefulforwhatwehaveuntilweloseit,ofnotbeingconsciousofhealthuntilweareill.Ihaveoftenthoughtitwouldbeablessingifeachhumanbeingwerestrickenblindanddeafforafewdaysatsometimeduringhisearlyadultlife.Darknesswouldmakehimmoreappreciativeofsight;silencewouldteachhimthejoysofsound.NowandthenIhavetestedmyseeingfriendstodiscoverwhattheysee.RecentlyIwasvisitedbyaverygoodfriendwhohadjustreturnedfromalongwalkinthewoods,andIaskedherwhatshehadobserved.“Nothinginparticular,”shereplied.ImighthavebeenincreduloushadInotbeenaccustomedtosuchresponses,forlongagoIbecameconvincedthattheseeingseelittle.Howwasitpossible,Iaskedmyself,towalkforanhourthroughthewoodsandseenothingworthyofnote?Iwhocannotseefindhundredsofthingstointerestmethroughmeretouch.Ifeelthedelicatesymmetryofaleaf.Ipassmyhandslovinglyaboutthesmoothskinofasilverbirch,ortherough,shaggybarkofapine.InthespringItouchthebranchesoftreeshopefullyinsearchofabudthefirstsignofawakeningNatureafterherwinter’ssleep.Ifeelthedelightful,velvetytextureofaflower,anddiscoveritsremarkableconvolutions;andsomethingofthemiracleofNatureisrevealedtome.Occasionally,ifIamveryfortunate,Iplacemyhandgentlyonasmalltreeandfeelthehappyquiverofabirdinfullsong.Iamdelightedtohavethecoolwatersofabrookrushthroughmyopenfingers.TomealushcarpetofpineneedlesorspongygrassismorewelcomethanthemostluxuriousPersianrug.Tome3thepageantofseasonsisathrillingandunendingdrama,theactionofwhichstreamsthroughmyfingertips.Attimesmyheartcriesoutwithlongingtoseeallthesethings.IfIcangetsomuchpleasurefrommeretouch,howmuchmorebeautymustberevealedbysight.Yet,thosewhohaveeyesapparentlyseelittle.Thepanoramaofcolorandactionwhichfillstheworldistakenforgranted.Itishuman,perhaps,toappreciatelittlethatwhichwehaveandtolongforthatwhichwehavenot,butitisagreatpitythatintheworldoflightthegiftofsightisusedonlyasamereconvenienceratherthanasameansofaddingfullnesstolife.IfIwerethepresidentofauniversityIshouldestablishacompulsorycoursein“HowtoUseYourEyes.”Theprofessorwouldtrytoshowhispupilshowtheycouldaddjoytotheirlivesbyreallyseeingwhatpassesunnoticedbeforethem.Hewouldtrytoawaketheirdormantandsluggishfaculties.PerhapsIcanbestillustratebyimaginingwhatIshouldmostliketoseeifIweregiventheuseofmyeyes,say,forjustthreedays.AndwhileIamimagining,supposeyou,too,setyourmindtoworkontheproblemofhowyouwoulduseyourowneyesifyouhadonlythreemoredaystosee.Ifwiththeon-comingdarknessofthethirdnightyouknewthatthesunwouldneverriseforyouagain,howwouldyouspendthosethreepreciousinterveningdays?Whatwouldyoumostwanttoletyourgazerestupon?I,naturally,shouldwantmosttoseethethingswhichhavebecomedeartomethroughmyyearsofdarkness.You,too,wouldwanttoletyoureyesrestonthethingsthathavebecomedeartoyousothatyoucouldtakethememoryofthemwithyouintothenightthatloomedbeforeyou.If,bysomemiracle,Iweregrantedthreeseeingdays,tobefollowedbyarelapseintodarkness,Ishoulddividetheperiodintothreeparts.TheFirstDayOnthefirstday,Ishouldwanttoseethepeoplewhosekindnessandgentleness4andco