Saturday, March 7, 2015

Who's the Stranger in the Mirror?

Did you ever look at yourself in a mirror and wonder, who is that person?
I've just returned from the hair salon. Honestly it's my least favorite place these days, but the gray hairs need covering. Working with young people (students and colleagues) I feel the need to cover the grays in an attempt to hide my true age. (Haha!)
By the way, I have told my students I'm 114 years old. I found this the easiest way to handle the questions about my age. I am not shy about being 51 but one day, while subbing a few years ago, a cute little girl sat close to me as I read a book aloud to her class. As I put on my reading glasses to focus on the words, she looked at me and said, ever so sweetly, "You look just like my grandma." Stab to the heart. I smiled and replied, "You must love your grandma very much!"
So there I was today at the salon, forced to stare into the mirror for over an hour as she worked her magic, wondering, when did I get so old? Is that really what I look like? The image doesn't match how I see myself, how I feel I portray myself. Then I wondered, how do others really see me? I continued to look and think, hmmm there's something in those eyes. Wisdom. Life experience. The look of a person who loves and is loved. The twinkle of a person who has indeed found happiness in her life.
One of the privileges of getting older is supposed to be not caring how others perceive you. I'm getting there, slowly. I think I'll take the person in the mirror with me on the journey.

7 comments:

  1. "...there's something in those eyes. Wisdom. Life experience. The look of a person who loves and is loved. The twinkle of a person who has indeed found happiness in her life."

    What a beautiful description of yourself!

    I look in the mirror everyday and expect to see that little girl again. Times flies even faster he older you get. I'm so happy that you can see such beautiful things when you look in the mirror.

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  2. This is a daily battle for me. I'm only 30, but I have dark circles. There are wrinkles around my eyes. My stomach looks like a road map. When did this happen? I hope I will someday be at the point that you are where I can see the beauty in the life experiences I have been through. Right now, I'm just tired.

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  3. Love your post & description of yourself! I see pictures of myself & think is that what I really look like? I don't mean that in a bad way but sometimes I forget I'm not a 20 year old blond. I'm a 38 year old mom with dyed hair. Lol

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  4. It's always a surprise to see myself in a mirror, because my mind's eye sees a totally different person. I like your ending, she will be just the right person to take on the journey of life.

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  5. I love how you describe the moment of being given the gift of slowing down and looking at yourself for an hour, even if you're not sure it's the gift you want! Happy growing!

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  6. Sometimes I don't recognize myself. I'm not as thin or pretty as I once was. As a result, I'm sometimes surprised to see the person staring back at me. BUT, I've come to accept my aging (NOTE: I don't color my hair -- yet.) as just a fact of life. It's hard to do though... especially when you see your gray-haired self staring back at you when your mind still feels as sharp as it did in your 20s.

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  7. This made me chuckle. I am glad you are taking the one in the mirror with you on the journey! I am in my early 40s and wear my readers more and more, to the amusement of my students (and family).

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