The Butterfly Lens
An Ode to Staring at You
What is your first thought when you catch someone staring at you?
Do you coil back into yourself, like a snake that is too afraid to show his face?
Or do you get angry?
Upset even, that someone has the audacity to look at you for longer than a second.
I have been on both sides of this lens.
I have been the patient silently waiting for the doctor to check my eyes.
I have suddenly looked up to someone who had been staring at me all along.
It was like they were drawn to me, wanted to be next to me, wanted to breathe me in with each passing breath.
I was uncomfortable, as you can imagine.
I thought why are they looking at me?
I must have something on my face
or maybe my shirt had lifted high enough to see the tiger stripes from a battle I almost didn't win.
But I have also been the ophthalmologist, looking into your eyes with all the skill of my previous years.
The person on the other side of the butterfly lens.
The one that never thought anything bad of you.
No.
I was the one that was trying to see the beautiful body art on your arms in the forms of roses and briars.
I was the one that saw your laugh and the way it made your eyes light up and your dimples come into view.
No.
Not once did I point out all the things you loathe about yourself
Because the world looks very different from this side of the lens.
About the Creator
Chelsea Winona
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