"I bet you could get a boyfriend fairly quickly if you wear an eye patch," said a family member once. About three months later I met my boyfriend... I was not wearing an eye patch.
I have never been too keen on the idea of wearing an eye patch because I have never found a reason or need to wear one. Unfortunately, some of my family members believe that my life would be much easier if I covered my eye. They also believe that by wearing an eye patch it would make it easier for others to approach me because they would not feel awkward or uncomfortable when looking straight at me.
After years of arguments with various family members, I decided to give the eye patch a try. In the summer of 2013, while vacationing in Washington DC, I wore the eye patch on multiple occasions. I actually wrote a post about my experience and thoughts about it. The Patch was all about my one time experience wearing the eye patch at the party full of strangers. That summer I wore it two more times; once for a family Bar-B-Que and finally for a concert. Both times my godmother was very excited because she has always been very vocal when it came to me covering my eye.
My godmother, her husband, my male cousin and my dad were all for me using an eye patch. They encouraged me to use the eye patch every day and to get them in as many colors as possible. I smiled and nodded because I felt defeated. I felt even more defeated when my father told me, " I have always thought you should use one. I do not know why you have not used it, but I think you should. You look beautiful when you wear one." My father telling me that was a complete revelation because I always thought that he was against the idea. I mean, he always supported my stand when it came to eye patches.
I wore it once more when I came home from DC. I went out to a bar with one of my best girlfriends, who has always said that she supports me either way but that she does not think I need to use one.My experience that night was not very different than the times I went out with friends without an eye patch. Men looked at me. Some approached me while others just stared and kept on walking.
That night I was approached by a fairly nice man. We spoke and danced for about half an hour. He did ask why I wore the patch, but not being satisfied with my response he reached out to my face and tried to remove my eye patch! I have never before had anyone touch my face or my eye to see if it was real or fake. I was in complete shock! I slapped his hand off. I did not know what else to do or say. I simply walked away.
I attempted to wear my eye patch on other occasions, but I would always end up taking it off before I left the house. Point blank, I do not like it! I met the love of my life with out wearing an eye patch. I work for a prominent non-profit and have never had a problem with not wearing an eye patch.
My godmother, her husband, and my cousin all said that with an eye patch I would find a boyfriend in no time and it would be easier for me to find a job. Hmm makes me wonder just how superficial my family can be. It is kind of sad that some of my family members are so adamant about me using an eye patch while it is my friends that only say, "I do not need one."
