The Eyes Are the Window to the Soul

(March 2010)

The day after the accident, I headed back to the hospital after a fitful night sleep.  It was early and I was anxious to see Michael.  As I entered the ICU Mike's nurse Cindy was doing her nursely duties, she saw me and announced my arrival to Mike who was just laying there in a coma.  She was standing by him and asked if he wanted to see me as she pulled his eyelids open so he could see me. As I looked in his eyes all I could see was Mike smiling at me with his big Michael grin. It took me back to see him smiling so happy to see me, I took a second look and realized that he wasn't smiling he was just laying there with his eyes propped open. It was kind of a funny sight, Mike's nurse holding his eye lids open while I say good morning. I realized that as I looked into his eyes I could see more than just his physical form.  A couple of weeks after the accident Mike started opening his eye, it started as just a slit and every day got wider and wider.  I loved looking into his eye because I could see Mike and his mood.

I have heard the saying "The eyes are the window to the soul" many time in my life but I always thought it was a trick people used to guilt you into telling them the truth as they looked into your eyes.  Now I know differently. From the very first day when I saw Mike smiling at me through his eyes, to the days when I would peek into his slightly open eyes and saw "him", to today when most of our conversations involve us just looking each other in the eyes.  It is amazing what I can see in Mike's eyes, he has a beautiful soul (or should I say handsome?).  I'm sure people have wondered many times what was going on as they have walked by Mike's room and heard me laugh as I look at him.  Just know I'm not laughing at him I'm laughing with him.