Green Eye, Brown Eye

An essay on this prompt: "I have one green eye and one brown eye. The green eye sees truth, but the brown eye sees much, much more."1

I have one green eye and one brown eye, and the green saw truth, and the brown saw much, much more, I would see the truth and much much more than the truth. 2

But how can one see truth? Hear truth, maybe, through the speech of others, and know it. Think it, even, or speak it; but how does one SEE it? I would see the true part of things, if there was one; see things more clearly, because my normal vision would not be clouded by the "not-truth" that I am now unable to see. I would see the part of things that is undeniable, seeing more clearly. In short, I would be seeing more.3

Then, if my brown eye saw much, much more than the more that is truth, then wouldn't it be as if one eye saw through a clear window (of truth), and one through a magnifying glass? My sight would be unbalanced, and my sense of distance and perimeter would be crippled. Since the brown eye would focus on everything, the green would not focus at all. I would probably get along better if I covered one eye as I went through my life. Not to mention the brown eye would be overly sensitive to things like light and reflection and moving objects, and that is not a pleasant way to see the world. Trust me; I've had experience.4

But that is not the only way of looking at things. 5

For instance, if seeing truth is NOT just seeing clearly, then things would be different.6

If I could see with my green eye only what was absolutely and always true, then I would miss out on many things. Books, for one. Everything fictional, and chunks, most likely, of many non fiction. Idioms, metaphors, similes--all would vanish before my one green eye. 7

And my brown eye that sees much, much more, what of that? Does it mean sharper vision, seeing things that are farther away or obscured by people or plant life? Bird watching would become a great pleasure; the ability to spy a speckled wren in a thicket fifty yards off, without the aid of binoculars. Stargazing, astronomy; such possibilities! Who needs microscopes? Or would it enhance my feelings of empathy? Maybe I would see what people are really feeling, no matter how contradictory to what they say. What animals are feeling, even. 8

But still, no matter where I look, there are still going to be problems. Eyes were made to work together, not separately. To see the same, and in the same quantities. Common disabilities concern the eyes; lack of ability to focus, wall eye, crossed eyes. That's what happens when your eyes fight one another, each wishing to go and do their separate things. And then, if I think about it, what advantages does this gift, this mutation, give me? A few pleasures, plus a lifetime of difficulties. 9

In short, I don't really want to see truth with my green eye; It would no doubt be depressing to see how many things in this world are lies.10

And with my brown eye, I don't wish to see much, much more. See things that others can't, that nobody else can understand. I can't even be certain that I would understand it. I'm a cautious person; I'd rather not commit myself to a lifetime of confusion.11

As a whole, I think I'd rather have my own, two pale blue eyes, almost grey. They may have some troubles sometimes, but they know how to work together, and they've been doing it all their lives. They're on equal plains. I'd never trade them in for one green, one brown, no matter how many talents it gives me. 12

If it gets too bright, I can always put on a pair of sunglasses.