Invisible People

February 10, 2019

“God, open my eyes to see what others cannot.” That’s my prayer tonight. In addition to Mickey Mouse and the world’s first full-length cartoons, Walt Disney had founded Disneyland in 1955. He was a dreamer, and before his death in 1966, through a variety of shell companies had began buying land near Orlando, Florida. Five years after his death, the much larger Disney World opened. Prior to its grand opening, Roy Disney gave a special inside tour to certain dignitaries who were quite impressed with what they saw. One of the guests remarked, “It’s too bad Walt never saw this.”

“Oh, but he did!” Roy responded. He most certainly did. Dreamers see what others cannot.

There was a time when my prayer for open eyes meant wanting to see as did Disney, opportunities where others saw only obstacles. I still want that ability. Where others see despair, I want to see hope. Where they see failure, I want to see possibility. But tonight that prayer takes on a new dimension.

Earlier this evening, Linda and I were watching a British mystery on TV. I don’t usually expect to hear God’s voice in a tv program, but that’s exactly what happened. The mystery had to do with residents of a nursing home who were dying under suspicious circumstances. In a conversation with young woman, the daughter of the police investigator, one of the elderly gentlemen bemoaned growing old. “When you’re old, you become invisible,” he said. “When you’re young, you may be good-looking or ugly, smart, or fat, or sexy. But when you get old, you become invisible.”

I think that’s often true. We older folks have had our time in the limelight, at the forefront of making decisions whether good or bad. When we retire, our wisdom and experience are often passed over by the next generation as they are busy making their mark in the world. Our opinions are passé. 

I’m not complaining. I’m still pretty active, have more people in my life than I can count. But I’ve spent enough time in nursing homes to know the truth of this cinematic observation. Thus my prayer. I don’t want to get to the point where certain people become invisible to me, whether they be the elderly, the poor, or the clerk at Walmart. They are often among the invisible, and it takes special vision to see...to really see them. It sounds strange to my ears, but I’m thankful for this mystery show with its unexpected wisdom that hopefully opens my eyes to the invisible people all around me.