I will hold My Mirror up, if You Hold up Yours

Hello everyone! I am sure you are wondering, “What the heck could this blog be about.” I was wondering too when the phrase popped into my head. It is curious to me how that happens sometimes. Amid the random, out of context thoughts that the monkey mind insists on tossing around from moment to moment like, “I wonder if cats think or, how does the Christmas cactus know it’s Christmas,” suddenly, a little tidbit of wisdom just pops in. You may not know exactly what that wisdom is but, you have this subtle feeling that the thought deserves further exploration. So that is what I did when I contemplated this rather strange, invading verbiage.

So, what do we know about mirrors? They reflect. We look in the mirror and an image of our physical form looks right back at us. Some days we catch a glimpse and comment silently, or on great days boldly and loudly, “Hey! You’re looking pretty awesome today!” We throw our shoulders back, lift our head high and feel rather good about letting the world see how spiffy and handsome we are. On other days we rub the sleep from our eyes and greet ourselves by taking our first look in that finicky mirror and we moan, “Holy cow! You look like hell! Your eyes are puffy, your skin is dull and wrinkly and your whole face looks like a big round beach ball.” Our shoulders slump forward, our head drops to our chest, and we slink out of the bathroom wondering if we should stay hidden away in the house for fear other people will notice how ugly we are.

“Hello, Ego!!!”

That pesky, judgmental part of our psyche, we might liken to Mr. Hyde from the gothic novella, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is the antithesis to our kind, compassionate, loving and, nonjudgmental true self, our soul.

Now that we find ourselves on an intentional path to spiritual awakening and understanding, we pause. We recognize that snarky voice inside our heads and we gently tell it to put a muzzle on. We will not have it judging us simply by what we look like from day to day, week to week, or year to year. We sternly, but lovingly remind it that we are much more than the image we see in the mirror. Those eyes staring back at us will one day be simply dust in the wind, but the power, vastness and light of our true selves will continue to shine bright and beautiful forever. We then make a conscious choice to put on our cloak of love and illumination and let that glow shine through our eyes. We step boldly into our day with courage, strength, and even vulnerability. We know we are good enough and have much to offer the world with our unique talents and gifts. We cannot be anyone else but who we are, nor do we wish to be.

So, let us look at this discussion through a bit of a different lens. Let us try to see ourselves and everyone else as mirrors for each other. We look at others, and if the ego is awake and stomping around that day, we might judge ourselves as we look in the mirror of their lives. If a particular person who shows up on our path is beautiful, polished, successful, and seems to “have it all,” we might see a reflection of ourselves wallowing in the fog of failure. We may envy this person and decide we need to find something wrong with them so that we can feel better about ourselves. We may think thoughts like, “Who do they think they are acting better and superior to the rest of us,” when, it just might be, that person is not trying to do that at all. They are just shining their beautiful light and are comfortable owning their power and reflecting that magnificence for all the world to see.

On the other hand, if the soul is seated majestically on its lofty throne, we gaze in awe at the beautiful light shimmering around this brother or sister before us and see only possibilities. Yes, we may have a moment of disappointment in ourselves for perceived poor choices or not living up to our potential, but that can be a good thing. Within those thoughts and feelings can also be an opportunity to self-correct, return to self-love and vow to do better. We can be reminded of how each of us is different and yet the same. We are all souls born of love with an energy blueprint that is uniquely our own. Each of us was born with gifts and talents that allow us to shine in our own personal way. Before we fall headfirst into envy and jealously of another person’s seeming successes, perhaps we should ask ourselves this. Do we really want the kind of life that they have? Would we really be happy if we did?

I would like to share a little bit of my personal story here. I am not the best housekeeper or cook. I have a friend who could put Martha Stewart to shame. When I go to her home, I notice how perfect it is. Everything is in its place. It is flawlessly decorated and gorgeous. She cooks and bakes everything from scratch, and it all looks and tastes amazing. She loves to have parties and make her friends feel happy, loved, and cared for. I often vow that I am going to go home and work hard to do all the things she does so well. Yet each time, I quickly realize, that is her passion, not mine. This special person in my life holds her mirror up for me and I see a reflection of how one’s passion, whatever it is, is the doorway that leads to fulfillment and a life of power, purpose, greatness, humility, and love. She shares her passion with devotion and affection, with no intention to try to be better than anyone else. Her light is exclusively special, as is mine and every other soul ever created.

I think we all want to show our kindness and love for each other and for the world. Yet we all do it in our own way. Some work to find a cure for cancer so they might heal others. Some have an eye for architecture and build beautiful structures that inspire awe. Others choose to be teachers and change the world one child at a time. Then there are many souls like me. We find no greater joy than sharing our souls and helping people who cross our paths, to come home to their own soul, and remember how uniquely beautiful and magnificent they are.

The thing is, when we meet someone whose light shines brighter than a translucent, full moon on a clear summer night, let it reflect to us that what we are seeing is the destiny that our Creator wants for all of us. It is the destiny that is possible simply by being who we are and no one else. We are a wonderful gift to others just as they are a gift to us. So, I will hold my mirror up for you, if you hold yours up for me. We got this!