The unspoken language of eyes

The unspoken language of eyes 

Year - 2006 

Time - around 5.30 pm 

Place - outside a park 

Physical state – Hurriedly dashing inside the park 

Mental state - Anxious 

Target - Meeting my daughter 

As I hurriedly entered the park, amidst children laughing, shouting, screaming and crying, I spotted my daughter sitting with her head down, trying to remove her roller skates. It was the day of the skating competition, and I had come with her but had to leave due to a medical emergency. 

As a doctor, I sometimes have no choice. 

She had told me, "Mama, you go, and by the time you are back, I will have won." As I approached her, my heart weighed heavy with worry, wondering whether she had. Looking at her drooped shoulders, I wondered whether she had made it to her words. I rushed towards her with a heavy heart, blaming myself for my absence. 

Beta I called. She looked straight into my eyes. The victory was written in her tired eyes. She bend down hastily to untie her skates again. 

I did not need an answer. Her eyes had said it all in a second. 

Our eyes can make subtle yet strong communication that usually goes beyond spoken words. Eyes are the window to the soul, often able to convey a wide range of emotions with just a glance, those feelings sometimes that we fail to express verbally. In the hustle and bustle of life, where most of us are preoccupied with our screens, how often we may have missed a friend's fleeting encouraging glance; a silent scream for help; lonely eyes seeking companionship; or sparkling eyes seeking applause. 

Year - 2024 

Time – 10.35 am 

Place – ICU 

Physical state – Professional 

Mental state - Academic 

Target – Curing the patient in front of me. 

My young patient was placed on a ventilator due to a condition called Guillain-Barre syndrome, which affects the entire body, including breathing and swallowing. Patients remain fully conscious, and most gradually recover over months. 

But the young boy could not have known this medical outcome. 

He was constantly struggling, tossing and pulling on the tubes, giving a tough time to the nursing staff. There was no medical reason evident for his restlessness. 

I called him out, and he looked at me. 

His eyes said it all. 

He was worried he would be bedridden. I asked him if he was concerned about being able to walk again. His eyes filled with tears and he was very sad. We all came together to encourage him and took the time to clarify everything and motivate him. 

While the ventilator continued to beep, he looked at me with tearful eyes, but now there was hope in those eyes. 

In this world filled with noise and work taken up by AI, the silent dialogue of the eyes is proof that we can connect and understand each other at a deeper level. 

It is a gentle reminder that sometimes, the most significant messages are those conveyed without uttering a single word.