Mirrors

I used to be one of those people you see who parks their car and before they leave they check themselves out in their mirror. I had to make sure I looked alright - no smudged lipstick or mascara. I would be hard pressed to pass a mirror and not look into it. I had to make sure that mask of perfection didn't have any cracks in it. I don't do that much anymore - some days I see myself in the morning and then at night when I brush my teeth. I used to think that mirrors helped you when you were working out - learning a new move in yoga or dance. I still think it can be a tool but after teaching facing away from the mirror for so many years I think the better tool is if it feels right.

I think I have spent my entire life so far hiding from my true reflection - thinking that if I kept my outer image in line with what others expected I would be accepted. What if we didn't have mirrors? What if we could only see the reflection of ourselves in the eyes of others? What would we do? Would we be kinder? Would we be more honest? What if our reflection showed us beauty or ugliness only by our actions - or non-actions? Maybe if we didn't know what we looked like on the outside - we wouldn't care what others looked like on the outside.