If we look into the eyes of a dog, its face nestled between our hands seems to ask for nothing. The brightness in its gaze alone is enough to tell us so much. It feels like a silent conversation, a mutual understanding that sometimes silence speaks louder than words. When the dog closes its eyes or keeps them wide open and alive, it says so much that words become unnecessary.
If we look at a blind person who cannot see us, their hands gently tracing the contours of our face, they smile as if discovering parts of us we barely know ourselves. With only their sense of smell, sound, and touch, they navigate their solitary darkness, drawing our face with precision and uncovering more about us than we might ever grasp.
We are strangers, receivers of tender gestures.
Social media reflects some of this dynamic. How many connections and affections are born between people who know each other only through the frozen stares of photographs or are captivated by words and the mystery of another’s life? Their reality seems intertwined with the darkness of our loneliness, as we search for happiness that might arrive wrapped in a message, an internet interaction, or in the anticipation of a plane or bus arrival. We crave the touch of unfamiliar hands, the scents, and the sounds of voices yet unknown.
The dog follows our touch with innocent trust. Similarly, some of us surrender to fantasies, chasing what does not exist, unaware that we sometimes leave the best of ourselves to the unknown.
These momentary blindnesses, born from surrendering to illusions, can fragment what is best within us. The dog, in its quiet mind, asks only for affection, even if brief. The blind person discerns who stands before them through scents, sounds, and the gentle touch of hands.
Our own blindness must not make us lose our humanity. Like the dog, we should embrace the beautiful simplicity of love. And, at times, like the blind, simply feel the other for who they truly are—not for what we seek to project from the blindness within ourselves.
Here’s a refined version:
This post was originally written in Portuguese and has been freely translated into English. If you enjoyed it, we encourage you to leave a message for the author!
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