I look at myself in the mirror and think, “What lies will you tell me today?”
Will you tell me that I am beautiful? Will you tell me that I am the picture of perfection and that I am unstoppable? Will you show me that I am irresistible and that I am a force to be reckoned with? Will you stop me in my tracks and make me see a side of myself that I have never seen or will you show me the same person that I see every day? A mirror can’t be trusted.
Will you show me that I am attractive? Will you tell me that my hair is laying perfectly or that my skin is flawless? Will you tell me that my lips are something to be desired or that my smile is alluring? Will you show me that green glimmer in my eyes that can often be seen in the right lighting or that one freckle that will only appear after some natural sunshine? Will you show me a secret that no one knows or will you show me the same things I over-examine every day? A mirror will only show us what is on the surface.
Or will you show me my weaknesses? Will you tell me that my teeth are crooked or that they have faded from their pearly whites? Will you tell me that my pores will never grow small, my eyes will always have bags, or that my lips will always be pale? Will you show me the gray hairs that I can not battle or the stress in the lines that hold their own? Will you help me to feel better about my appearance today or will you just continue to hold me back? A mirror can be a hindrance.
What will you tell me about myself today mirror? Will you tell me that I will never be the model or I will never be small enough for him? Will you show the way my skin melts over top of my jeans or the way that there is no gap to be seen between my thighs? Will you show the way my muscles flex over my knees or the way that the veins are getting darker on my legs? Will you tell me that my fat is fading and muscles are growing or will you tell me that my jeans are getting tighter? Will you show the strong athlete in me or will you show the woman that is too afraid to walk away from the mirror and let herself be seen? A mirror will break you if you look too close.
Why do I continue to trust you? The lies and false ideas that you put into my head. Why do I need you? Your approval, your reassurance, your guidance. Why do I use and abuse you? To over-analysis what is wrong with me. Why do I continue to let you rule my life? To let you tell me that it is only about what they can see. Why do I believe you? Your reflection in that mirror isn’t always what the world sees.
A mirror can not capture love. It can not capture joy, ambition or true beauty. It can only capture what is on the surface, but we are so much more. We are more than just skin, bones, and a reflection of the person that we see. We are more than what can be seen by the naked eye. We are more than what the mirror gives us credit for.
Featured image via Max Felner on Unsplash
