The Lost Mirror

The branches on the trees had just begun to bud, filling the woods with a vibrant spring green. The dead leaves from the previous fall crunched under Dawn’s feet as she ran along the trail. The cold weather and snow had kept her inside for the past few months so it was a treat to get out to run again. Dawn wasn’t familiar with this path. It was a little out of her radius, but she wanted to try something new.

As she ran along the path she spotted something reflecting the sunlight coming through the trees. It was off to the side of the trail among the brush. She always had disposable gloves in her pocket, in case she saw litter on her runs. She was grateful for the breather anyway. After slipping her hands into the gloves she knelt down to get a closer look at what was buried in the brush.

It was an old antique hand mirror. Although the entire mirror was caked in dirt and dust, she could tell the rim and handle were covered in ornate gold accents, It must have been sitting out here for a few weeks at least. There was a soggy piece of paper folded up and taped to the back. She gently took it off and unfolded it. Miraculously the note wasn’t totally destroyed by the harsh winter weather. It was a letter, handwritten in a scratchy cursive. The blue ink bled through the paper but the words were still legible. 

To whomever may find this mirror…

Hello stranger, I hope you have the time to read this note and consider taking this mirror home with you. My identity isn’t of any importance. I have lived my life to the fullest and as I near the end of mine I hope to pass this gift to someone who is just beginning.

This mirror is my most cherished and priceless possession, but I have reached a point in my life where I must part ways with it. I can not sell this, for the price tag it would have would put it in the hands of someone who does not need it. See, this is no ordinary mirror.

I obtained this mirror when I was a young man, maybe around nineteen years old. I was on a train returning home to North Carolina after a trip to New York City. I sat next to an older woman who slept for most of the journey, her head propped up against the window. Back in those days, we didn’t have the luxury of having a machine in our pocket that could allow us to listen to music or being able to connect with friends. But, no matter, I had my books to keep me company.

I knew the woman’s stop was coming up, so I gently shook her awake. She looked at me with a far-off look as if she were still dreaming. To this day I remember how deep her eyes were and the stories they must have held. It appeared she didn’t know English, so she smiled and gave me a nod. As she stood up to leave she began digging in her bag. She shuffled past me to the aisle and as she did, she dropped this mirror in my lap. By the time I had realized what had happened, she was already gone in the flood of people leaving for Baltimore.

So I feel it is my obligation to give an explanation as I do the same to you. This is no ordinary mirror. It will not show you as you are now, but your future self. I know it sounds far-fetched and out of a storybook, but the past seventy years of my life can attest to this fact. Now be aware that your future is not a solid object, it is fluid and can change as easily as the tide. 

This mirror has many lessons and secrets to share. When I was younger, each time I looked in the mirror I would see a different version of me staring back. The possibilities are truly endless. Even on some of my worst days, where I felt like I accomplished nothing or everything in the universe seemed like it was against me, I could find a successful and happy old man looking back. On days, where I felt like I was on top of the world when I got that job or got a date with that girl, I could see a miserable, even homeless me staring back. No matter how much effort I would put into keeping my life on the right track, it never seemed to matter. Start to eat right, I could end up healthy and fit into my old age or dying from a heart attack. 

For some, this may seem discouraging, but I came to realize that it is because one decision is enough to alter the future. Eating healthy for a month doesn’t mean you will always be living off of salads and smoothies. One bad night will not turn you into an alcoholic. You may not believe me at first, but take this mirror and you may learn this on your own. 

What’s funny was I never saw my wife in this mirror prior to meeting her. I guess that if I knew what she looked like things would have turned out differently. I’m not sure what lucky last-minute decision I made that wound up with me meeting the woman that I got to spend the rest of my life with, but that is another discussion.

As you get older the possibilities begin to dwindle. The variety you see in the mirror begins to even out. The rock star yous and the criminal yous begin to flatten into the person who you are becoming. I’m now an old man and understand why that woman on the train dropped the mirror into my lap. There isn’t much left for me and I’d rather not see the different ways my life could end. But for you random stranger there is still a whole world of possibility out there. 

So, my young friend, will you take the chance and take this mirror?

Dawn turned the mirror over in her hand. The mirror was cracked and too dirty to see anything. She started heading over to the trash can further down the trail to throw out the useless piece of glass. 

Before actually throwing it out, she laid the mirror on the ground and put the note beside it. She pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of the two. After making sure the picture was legible she picked up the two. She gave the mirror one last pitiful look and threw both the mirror and the note in the garbage. After her run, she would post the picture to Reddit and Facebook to see how viral it would become. 

She pulled off the gloves and also threw them in the trash. She put her headphones back in and without a second thought, she continued on her run, feeling good about herself for taking care of the environment.