Which Sense Could You Live Without?

I know it is a strange question.

Ideally, the answer would be none.

But if you had to live without one of your five senses — which one, would it be?

This discussion came up between my friend and me.

I was telling her about a close family member who had become partially sighted when she was mid-life. It changed her whole life. She was a teacher but could no longer do this. She had to re-learn everything. From basic tasks like making a cup of tea on her own. To living semi-independently again.

I have only felt admiration for what she has accomplished. Her determination to continue without the use of her full sight. She even went on to teach others who were losing their sight how to navigate their new world.

Which Sense Would You Hate to Lose?

I would hate to lose my sense of sight.

I couldn’t bear the thought of not being able to watch a sunset again.

To watch the sunflowers, grow.

Or see my grandchildren’s smiles.

Consequently, I was surprised when my friend told me that she would hate to lose her hearing.

She said when she puts music on it calms her, makes her feel alive, makes her happy, and even makes her feel sad.

Yes, music can evoke a wide range of powerful emotions.

Sound can transport you to many places.

I went to college with a student who was deaf. She had a signer attend every class with her to support her learning. I remember she held a birthday party and invited us all. As we danced to the sound of the music, and she danced along with us too, I wondered what it must sound like to her to dance to no sound.

We don’t often think about what it would be like to live in a constant world of silence.

What about the other senses?

What about the sense of smell?

A smell can help to change your mood. With smell comes the candles and incense which are pleasant but there are also smells that are not so pleasant like the smell of babies' nappies and rotting rubbish.

What about touch? What if you couldn’t feel your partner hold you anymore. What if you could not sense touch again?

What about taste. Not to taste Coffee. Curry. Chocolate. What would life be like without taste?

None of us would want to live without any of our five senses, but there are people around us each day who are already doing that.

Spare a moment to consider what life must be like for them, to live without.

Which Sense Would You Hate to Live Without?

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I had this in my drafts for a while and was inspired to write it after reading Julia Freeman, an anonymous survivor story.

Thank you for reading.

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