The Eyes Have It

"Look at me."

This phrase immediately grabs your attention and draws your eyes to those of the speaker. Perhaps it's to confirm that you are paying attention. Maybe it's to gauge a reaction. At times it's to convey the severity of the situation. In any case, what is sought is a connection -- an exchange of emotion through the meeting of eyes. How powerful!

The human eye is amazing. It is said that the eyes are the windows to our soul. Think about how much information and emotion we convey with merely a glance! We are able to express frustration, joy, anger, sadness, disappointment, amusement, excitement and so much more without ever uttering a word. It can be subtle or obvious. It may even be unintentional. How many times have you rolled your eyes in frustration or shot a quick look of irritation at something or someone before your brain thought to control that emotion? My laughter often hits my eyes before it bubbles out. Our eyes hold our most immediate reactions and perhaps the most honest.

"No one can lie, no one can hide anything, when he looks directly into someone's eyes." -- Paulo Coelho.

Don't underestimate the importance of eye contact. When someone says, "Look at me," they are telling you to read what is in their eyes or seeking answers in yours. Sometimes the information conveyed in that look can be more powerful than any words that can be spoken. Wow. Are you paying attention? Have you learned to listen with your eyes as well as your ears? Have you thought about what your eyes say?

I love watching people's eyes. Watching the array of emotions that play there from the glint of amusement to the flare of passion, the spark of understanding to wide-eyed disbelief is so interesting. Text messages with winks and silly icons can't come close to conveying what we say without a word. As for what my eyes have to say, I'll leave that to you all for your interpretation. Suffice it to say that they are never silent.