This was originally posted on February 21, 2022.
We
worked on one of my favorite assignments in our classes last week. Back
in October, one of our written memory verses was James 1:22-24:
"Do
not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it
says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is
like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at
himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.''
We
discussed the meaning and I brought up that Mom, in her late stages of
Alzheimer's, did not recognize her own image. I told the kids that
sometimes at the end of the day, I look at myself in the mirror, and
don't always like what I see. I talked about Paul's reference to mirrors
in 1st Corinthians 13:12 and read examples from my students of ten
years ago. The kids finished this statement: 'When I look in the mirror,
I see....' Every student was allowed complete confidentiality. My
students were very honest. Over the next few nights, I'll run some of
the responses of those who wanted to share. Some will choke you up. All
are used by permission and are a combination of middle and high school
students Boys are in blue and girls are in pink.
When
I look in the mirror I see the girl who wears the blank face. The girl who
struggles to be vulnerable, the girl who restricts herself from others in fear
of rejection, resisting the urge to just delete that last sentence and filter
herself, and her true raw thoughts, and identity. When I see her talk,
everything she says feels like a cover, a projection of who she thinks you
would find acceptable. A projection designed to keep others out, and the blank
face at power. I see the girl who has played the part for so long it comes
natural, but she never forgets who she is. I see the girl in the mirror who has
been burned so many times she struggles to trust, to open up. The girl who just
doesn't see the point in being vulnerable to inevitably be rejected for who she
is. I see the girl who longs to be free from these standards forced upon her,
what others think she must do to be acceptable. She longs to just be herself,
but she just simply says wrong place, wrong time and keeps and wearing the
blank face. Others worry, beg her to take off the mask, but she simply shrugs
it off and reassures them, they're the reason she wears it in the first place.
She'd rather keep up the act, than risk the regret that may come. When I look
in the mirror I see an actor, who is forced to wear a blank face, play the role
people want her to play. "The girl" others see isn't "The
girl" but just a mask .. and she would like to keep it that way..... Wear
the blank face until you're free.
When
I look in the mirror I see someone who tries. Someone who tries and tries but
ends up failing in the end. Someone who attempts, but just can't seem to win.
Someone who has something to prove and needs to prove it to everybody. Someone
who still sees himself as what he used to be and lowers his confidence by
constantly over thinking. The man in the mirror is not someone who can
moonwalk, but someone who worries himself and causes distress by always
thinking of "what-ifs" and how anything and everything could go
wrong. A man who needs to focus, a man who needs to practice what he preaches.
A man who is capable of fixing what he needs to, but somehow never prevails and
ends up slacking. I see someone who is lazy and is usually slacking on his
work. Someone who is completely able, who is smart enough, but cannot apply
himself. That's what I see when I look at the man in the mirror.
When
I look in the mirror, I see a girl with potential-- potential in sports, academics,
and life. I see a girl who knows if she puts in the work she will succeed, but
procrastinates and postpones work to do "tomorrow". I see a girl who
tries to make others smile and feel loved, a girl that wants to be a shoulder
to cry on, and a girl who would do anything for the people she loves. If there
was one thing that defines this girl, it would be the Golden Rule. I see a girl
goes out of her way to be the friend
everyone needs, but at the same time, I see a girl that won't go out of her way
to study hard enough for school. I see a girl who values making memories and
having fun with friends over preparing for the rest of her life. I see a girl
that wants the romantic high school life that her friends have, but she rejects
that idea for and of herself. Still, I see a girl that's anxious about the
future and scared to decide on a job. I see a girl that wants too many things
in life and refuses to choose. I see a girl that is determined to make a living
from the activities she loves. I see a girl that can, but won't. I don't know
why she won't, but I'm making her. I want her to succeed. I want her to be
happy. I want her to live a life without regrets. I want her to get a good job
she enjoys so she can accomplish her dreams. I want nothing but the best for
her, so I'm going to be the girl that gives it to her.
When
I look in the mirror I see someone who is gradually getting better over time. I
see somebody who looks for the challenge in life. I see a future doctor that
loves to help people. But when I’m away from the mirror, I become somebody who
is tired. Somebody who wishes his life was better. Somebody wishes they could
be more outgoing. Someone who doesn't fit where they belong no matter the
puzzle piece. I am somebody who throws a brick at anyone who gets close because
of past experiences. Somebody who never satisfied. Somebody who puts too much
effort into people. But at least I know that he who looks back at me in the
mirror will always be there with me.
When
I look to see my reflection I see a girl who strives to look perfect. Every
night before she goes to bed, she spends at least 5 minutes looking at herself
pointing out her imperfections. When I look into the mirror I see a girl who
questions her every action and asks if it will satisfy the people around her.
She always puts others before herself and never has time to think of what SHE
wants.I also see a girl with the perfect image of her dad but the mother wants
the girl to reflect in her image. But way back in that mirror that's on the
verge of cracking, there's still a little girl in spirit who wants to run
around free. There's also a girl who has so many talents she can't chose which
one to finalize. That girl is surrounded by so many people who support her but
sometimes she doesn't notice.
When
I look in the mirror I see a boy that's mind is wandering, wandering on random
ideas that he has but can't do them because he is lazy. In the mirror I see a
boy that is hidden in the background, a quiet kid, in the shadows, that dreams.
I see a boy that just wants to know more and more, always curious about how
things work, wondering, discovering, dreaming. I see a boy that wanting to build,
design, create, to satisfy his curiosity, make his dreams come true, and when
they do, he starts it all over again, dreaming, wondering, discovering,
building, designing, and creating. Always the same thing over and over again.
Doesn't know anything else to do except the same thing over and over again, the
same, the same.
Applicable quote of the day:
"The ravaged face in the mirror hides the enchanting youth that is the real me."
Mason Cooley
God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
