‘Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.’ (Matt 7 v13 -14)
In HG Well’s book, The County of the Blind, a climber falls into an inaccesible valley only to be rescued by a mysterious community where all of the people are blind. Nursed back to health, the climber falls in love with the woman who cares for him and asks the leader of the community for her hand in marriage but is told the community cannot agree to his request unless he consents to having his eyes removed and becoming as blind as they are.
For the community, rendered blind from birth – presumably from a genetic abnormality – the loss of sight was not an issue as they had no idea of what they were missing. On the other hand, the climber knew exactly the sacrifice he would be taking in forfeiting the beauty of everything for the woman. Although the decision was initially hard for him, the climber eventually leaves the valley rather than have his world of colour and image taken away. The spiritual parallel is obvious.