I am a Mirror

I am a mirror. I have been to many places throughout my life while being passed from hand to hand, job to job. I’ve seen countless bedrooms, even more antique stores, and I’ve even been employed out of doors once. One of my favorite jobs was in the subway. I got to see new people every day when I worked in the subway.

I saw people walking past checking their reflection inside me. I obliged because I am a mirror. I see people and things as they are. I reflect back to them exactly what they want to see - no more, no less. That’s what a mirror does, you know.

Being a mirror is a difficult and thankless job though. I stand here perfectly silent and still while the world goes past me. Yes, occasionally I get a short glance, maybe I catch your eye for a second, but if I don’t give you back what you want… oh boy, what a scene you’ll make! You’ll stop, look at me with frustration, and then storm off looking for other mirrors. As if we mirrors can show you something other than the truth! I get a chuckle out of all of you… Looking at me… Me, looking back at you. What a strange relationship we have, you and I.

Just the other day I saw a lady. We had a bit of a scuffle, and then, right in front of me mind you, she called to Camera! Camera, the little liar. Camera came and gave her something I could not, no, would not! He gave her a lie and my heart broke at her believing. After she had the answer she wanted she stomped off, snarling at me for having done my only job. What was I supposed to do? I am a mirror and I cannot lie.

It’s not always so confrontational being a mirror. For example, once I met a girl who was about eight or nine if I had to guess. She walked past and I saw her and she saw me. Stopping for just a moment she looked me right in the eye... Then she looked down at herself and saw, to her delight, that she was in a very lovely flower dress. She seemed to like this as she giggled and gave a quick twirl. This precious child then gave me a fist bump and said, “We got this.”

“YES!” I thought. “We indeed have this!”

I had no idea what this was but I was still beside myself with excitement. I watched her skip away, barely able to contain my own glee.

My favorite moment by far however is when we meet for the first time, you and I. I remember the day you discovered yourself in me. I was in a guest bedroom and you were crawling by babbling to yourself when you saw movement in the corner of your eye. You stopped for a moment and then plopped down on your little diapered bottom and saw me for the first time. We locked eyes for a long while, longer than most babies can stare at a thing, and I was overwhelmed with joy as I watched realization dawn on you…

Yes. This is you, I thought. See your eyes? Look at those little ears. Those are yours, baby.

I stared in wonder as you touched your ears, then your nose, and then you smiled and giggled at me. Good gracious if you only knew how beautiful and wonderful you were! It’s these moments that make me wish that I could speak to you. But alas, I am but a mirror — a reflection of you to you.

But if I could tell you anything… If after having seen you grow from a baby to an adult and I could tell you anything? Well, I would probably just want you to know that… I love you. 

I’ve seen you cry over that boy. I saw you the day before your BIG interview. I saw you staring at me, wondering if you were good enough (you definitely are). I remember how important I used to be to you. You used to look at me and wonder if the world saw the same thing… They don’t. And that is the big secret we mirrors keep from you — We see the real you. Not your shell that you wear around hoping to impress people with, no, we see into you — the person you know you are. We mirrors know. Oh boy, do we know! But we are also good at keeping secrets. We’ll never tell anyone what we see, or what you see. No. This is our secret.

But now you are old. Now I only see you walk past. We haven’t made eye contact in years. I miss you terribly. The last time you saw me was to check a bruise you had gotten from falling. I remember that day. You just wanted me to show you your elbow. I did. There was a bruise there — a bad one. You examined it for a while. You bent it forward and back hoping to see some change but I couldn’t give it to you. The thing I remember most… the thing that I still think about now, is that you never made eye contact with me. Not once. At first, I thought you were mad at me. But now, having thought about it, having thought about you, I know that you are finally convinced of the truth that I see. And that is that you are beautiful. You don’t need me to convince you anymore. You’ve accepted that what I see is the truth. You are you and it is utterly magnificent.

I guess that means I’ve done my job. We finally see the same thing. I still miss you though. I miss talking while you get ready in the morning. I miss trying on new dresses with you. I miss dancing. I miss seeing you become perfect. I love you. Until next time, friend…