I recently got new glasses. And they’re the biggest glasses I’ve had since the days of big glasses.
When I was in Grade 4 at Warren Elementary School, the eyewear trend was simply, the bigger the better. While I wasn’t thrilled about having to wear glasses in the first place, this shy awkward kid quickly discovered a sense of comfort behind lenses.
My first pair of glasses were half the size of my round little face, with beige rims that matched my scraggly blondish hair. They had arms that swooped down, connecting to the bottom of the frame. Giving the appearance that the lenses hovered over my eyes. They shielded me from the world, and made me feel safe, and smart. Oh how I loved them!
I wore them all the time – at home, to school, to gym, even during recess. My mom warned me to take them off when I played outside, but I never listened. I’d wear them every day, rain or shine, whether riding bicycles or horses, playing tag or dodge ball.
I don’t recall when or how it happened, but one day, I broke them. Darn! I should have listened to my mother! My nine-year-old heart was as shattered as the broken glasses.
Mostly, though, I was worried about telling my mom, because it would cost money to fix them – and money was something we didn’t have. To my surprise, though, she was okay with it. “Don’t worry,” she said, “You can get another pair.”
A whole new world
Really? Another pair? That’s when I first heard about something called ‘welfare’. Turns out we were so poor that my glasses were paid for by our government. It wasn’t until years later that I even understood what that meant. Or come to realize that that many families needed welfare. Including mine.
I didn’t know it back then, but throughout elementary school, welfare gave my family a hand-up with dental care, food subsidies, and monthly allowance. They also gave me my first pair of glasses – and then a second pair to replace the broken ones.
Except this time, the glasses weren’t nice. The ones I had were no longer available, and since the ‘welfare selection’ was limited, I didn’t have a choice. This time I got stuck with a big ugly pair with black rims. Oh how I hated them!
After crying all the way home from the eye doctor, I started to hatch a plan. I’ll just break them! I mean, I broke the first pair and got new ones. So maybe if I do it again, I’ll get nicer ones. To a nine-year-old mind, the plan made perfect sense.
Oops I did it again
After a few weeks of being totally careless, they finally broke. I remember riding home all happy on the school bus, eager to show my mom the damage. I was already thinking about the trip to Winnipeg to pick out the new pair. Maybe we’d go on a Saturday, and go to Polo Park Mall, too. We’d get French fries at Kresge’s. Aaahhh, a kid could dream.
What my nine-year-old brain failed to realize was that this time, I’d only cracked the frame. The lenses were still fine. So what did my mom say? “That’s okay, we’ll just tape those up.” Tape? Tape?? Yup, that’s what she said.
Next thing I knew, she worked some motherly magic on the cracked frame – using black tape because it would hold better. It worked like a charm. Now, there I was, with big black ugly rims sporting a big black wad of electrical tape. Suddenly, and sadly, I realized that what I had before, had actually been okay. I should have been grateful.
I ended up wearing those taped-up broken glasses for a long time, taking care not to break them any worse. Looking back, I must have learned a lesson from that whole experience, because I don’t recall breaking my glasses ever again. From that day forward, I took good care of my glasses. And still do.
A hand up for my family
As an adult today, I’m fortunate to own multiple pairs of glasses – and none of them are taped up. I’m proud of the fact that I bought and paid for every pair of glasses myself. The days when my family was dependent on welfare are long gone. But I’m super grateful that welfare was there when we needed it. If it wasn’t, I don’t know where my family would be today. Where I’d be today.
Canada’s social safety net allowed our single mother to provide for us, and raise us on the right path. And when we moved from country living to the big city, thanks to low-rental housing, we were able to live in a ‘good’ neighbourhood. If it wasn’t for this social support, my siblings and I wouldn’t have had the chance to one day make something of ourselves.
I have a deep appreciation for our social safety net here in Canada, because it really can give a hand-up to those who need it most. Even something simple like giving eyeglasses to a nine-year-old kid does wonders for providing a clearer outlook on life.
In more ways than one.
