Mirrors

It seems to me that mirrors never give an honest reflection of a person.

Mirrors show us transformed images of our shells—altering our heights, warping our shapes, emphasizing the parts we wish to ignore. They highlight the parts we hate, making us face our faces.

But what we see in the mirror is not what everyone else sees.

Mirrors hide identity; only showing us a fraction of the person being reflected.

A mirror just shows a surface. Eyes that blink. Mouths that smile. Mouths that frown. Ears that hear. Noses that smell.

A mirror does not allow us to hear a laugh that brings sunshine to the room.

A mirror does not let us feel a hug that is more comforting than a warm fireplace during a blizzard.

A mirror does not illuminate a compassionate heart or quick wit.

A mirror does not let us perceive a broken heart or crumbled pride.

A mirror does not understand love or sacrifice.
A mirror does not show a soul.

The phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover” is too often forgotten when we study ourselves in a mirror.

we judge only what we see, and what we see is

a big nose

                        hairy eyebrows

                                                small eyes

                                                                        yellow teeth

                                                                                                blotchy skin

                                                                                                                        imperfection.

We don’t see the experiences that have made us strong. We don’t see the joys that have made us soar or the sorrows that have made us sink.

We don’t see who we were, who we are, or who we may become.
Instead, we see a mask.

It seems to me that mirrors never give an honest reflection of a person.

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