five senses

I look up the sky. I see the clear sky, with a strain of white cloud that the airplane left behind. I smell the scent of lilac coming up from the ground. When I touch the grass, I feel the dew formed during the calm, lonely dawn. Sitting on the grass, I take a bite of an apple. The sweet-sour taste soaks my entire mouth. At that tranquil moment, I hear the bell stinging my ears – dragging me into the classroom. Yes, I am in the middle of KMLA.

Let’s imagine. What if I cannot enjoy the magic of nature that heals and cheers me up amid my bitter life? Quite imaginable, but fairly unbelievable.

What if I lose my sight? I will not be able to appreciate beautiful view of our school, looking down from the top floor of our dormitory building. Dense fog, thin mist, mushy clouds, solitary sunset, and everything that we can see from up there would be just part of my imagination. I would not, or could not go up to the rooftop once in a while to look at the Big Dipper, asking what kind of star of planet that is. I will not be able to look at the number of seconds passing by in the clock every class, hoping the numbers to change more quickly – the class will be longer. Most importantly, I won’t be able to see the delighted faces of my friends smiling at me, limpid eyes looking at me and their nodding head whenever I say something.

What if I cannot smell? I would not be able to enjoy the scent of my fragrant shampoo which makes me take a longer shower. I won’t be able to smell the flipping paper money and feel graceful after every New Year’s Day. My collection of perfumes in my room would be useless and look like a mildly colored liquid that the wicked wizards used to make poisonous syrup in the fairy tale. Whenever my boyfriend buys me a beautiful bouquet filled with the most aromatic flowers in the world, it would be exactly same as smelling a scentless dandelion.

What if I cannot feel? I won’t be able to know the value of fan in the middle of hot summer. My friend poking or tickling me that keeps me awake in class would be completely useless. Teachers will no longer stroke my head whenever I do something splendid. I will not be able to feel the warmth of my friend’s hand that holds me whenever I am depressed.

What if I lose my taste? I will not be able to appreciate the sweetness of chocolate pushed into my mouth in the middle of strenuous basketball game. A drop of honey will be useless on the sour grapefruit, and salt and pepper will no longer be useful on the bland soup. My mom will no longer make delicious pasta and bake awesome brownies when I go back home. I won’t be able to taste how the barbecue with my classmates is much more delicious than eating steak in the luxurious restaurants.

What if I cannot hear? I will not be able to hear different kinds of birds chirping and singing from the giant tree. I won’t be able to pick up the ringing bell signaling the end of 8^th period which excites me the most in the entire day, and would not be able to chat with my friends all the way to class from the dormitory building. Going two steep hills down without prattling about trivial things is unimaginable. I would miss the sound of my friends’ adorable, frisky giggles the most.

Life without senses might, by tiny chance, might be easier. I won’t have to spend my time wearing and removing my contact lens every morning. I won’t have to listen to my mom nagging at me what to do over the phone call. I won’t have to smell the stink of my roommate’s gas. I won’t have to taste the horrible taste of broccoli that my mom forces me to eat. I won’t have to feel the piercing coldness that agonizes me every morning exercise.

Howbeit, the jubilation that my senses blesses me overwhelms those trifling comfort that the life without senses might provide. I start an another fine day by looking up the sky again, feeling thankful and grateful.