The Porch of His Presence

STORIES OF LIGHT

Monet’s Eyes — A Story of Light and Restoration

Claude Monet is remembered as one of the great masters of light and color. His paintings, filled with water lilies, gardens, and morning mists, captured not only the beauty of nature but the very essence of seeing.

But in his later years, Monet's vision began to change. Cataracts slowly clouded his eyes, dulling his once-vibrant world. The brilliant blues and purples he loved so deeply faded into yellows, browns, and murky reds. Details softened. Edges blurred. Yet, he continued to paint—faithfully, persistently—though he no longer saw the world as he once had.

Eventually, Monet underwent cataract surgery. When his vision cleared, he was astonished. The colors returned. The sharpness returned. The world, which had grown dim so slowly he barely noticed, suddenly burst into clarity again. Monet even revisited some of his earlier works, attempting to restore them with his newly regained sight.

Monet’s story is not only about eyesight—it’s about the slow drift we all experience. So often, our own vision—spiritual vision—grows cloudy. We grow used to the dimness. We make peace with distortion. We think we are seeing clearly, unaware of how much beauty and truth we are missing.

But God, in His mercy, offers the same grace Monet experienced: the grace of restoration. The grace of renewed sight. The lifting of what clouds our eyes and hearts. It may come through a single moment of awakening or through slow healing. But when it comes, the world is brighter than we remembered. Colors are truer. Details sharper. The light of God’s presence becomes vivid again.

“Open my eyes, that I may see wonderful things in Your law.” (Psalm 119:18)