Mirror, Mirror

I get a lot of material from this blog through my everyday activities, interactions, news stories, and Facebook posts I come across on a daily basis. I take it all in, and on my morning dog walks, I start thinking about the topic that is most inspiring or bothersome or enlightening for that day. Since I write on this blog five days a week, there’s a lot of thinking going on.

Today’s topic came from a FB post from a friend that included a quote on mirrors, and it caused me to remember other quotes out there that I love about mirrors, reflection and life. So here’s my breakdown on that shiny piece o’glass… organized by subject matter.

MIRRORS AND PEOPLE
 (in general)

“Others are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate about yourself.” – http://www.illuzone.net

How many times does something annoy the shiz outta you? Or makes you steamed. Or makes you think this is the most amazing person I’ve ever met? I am learning that when I feel this way… when I start to feel a reaction coming on toward a person I care about or am getting to know or is a friend or loved one, I stop. I just stop.

And I think, why does this bother me so? Is it me being reflective of something I dislike about myself, and that is why I am reacting this way? Why do I love this about them? Do I love this person simply because of something I love about myself in them? Why does it bother me that he does this? Is it because I do that? Just something to think about. I think it has made my relationships better with people, in general, when I can stop and understand why I am feeling this way.

MIRRORS AND SOULMATES

“… a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life.” – Richard, Eat Pray Love

When I think soulmate, I don’t always rush to conclude that it is necessarily romantic. I think there are all types of soulmates. I think a soulmate is a perfect example of a person with whom you have a profound and deep connection. I think there have defintely been soulmates in my life who have held up a mirror to me and called me out on things I never noticed about myself. Or opened up a door within myself I never knew existed. The rest of this quote from Eat, Pray Love talks about soulmates breaking you down… which I think they can do too… but ultimately, I think soulmates truly help to guide you through understanding who you are on a deeper level. The lesson may not always be positive, but how else will you learn it?

MIRRORS AND LOVE

“The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.” Thomas Merton

I like this quote because I used to find myself doing this a lot. I think over time I realized that 1) I was missing out the opportunity to really get to know some amazing dates/guys by not taking the time to really just learn about them, versus seeing how they may fit in one of my boxes or checklists. And 2) people are fundamentally who they are. There may be some surface things that can be tweaked through learning how to be in a relationship… but the core of who they are will not change. And shouldn’t. Don’t try and change someone to fit your own image. Just appreciate them for who they are.

“Tell me who you love, and I’ll tell you who you are.” -Creole proverb

This quote might seem a bit contradictory to the previous quote, but I see this quote applying to the people who you know and  truly love- for who they are. I love it because it does show that who you love is a reflection of what you represent, what is important to you in life, and where you are in your life… because that person most likely reflects those same things. Or least, hopefully they do.

MIRRORS AND ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY/SURROUNDINGS

“Life is like a mirror, we get the best results when we smile at it.” – Anonymous

When people say, “I hate traffic,” I always say back, “well, then, traffic hates you.” I remember working for a freight company and a CEO of a company telling me, “I never use your service because you always mess up.” I was quick to respond, “well yes, if you are going to put that energy out into the world, what else do you expect in return?” I don’t think I ended up getting that guy as a client- but you get what I’m saying here. You wanna hate something? It’s gonna hate you back. That’s why I love this quote so much. Life’s gonna shine back on you what you shine on it. Want more love? Give more love. Want more money? Give more money. It’ll always reflect back a thousand times more.

“If you want to make the world a better place, take look at yourself and make that… change.” – Michael Jackson

So, MJ pretty much ripped this lick off of Ghandi… but no matter, the meaning is all the same. If the world and its ways are not working for you- instead of blaming it and your environment, do as Ghandi says, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” If change is to occur in your environment or world- well, it needs to start somewhere. And why not you? People think they are insignificant in the grand scheme, but really, all it takes is one person to start it all.

MIRRORS AND SELF

“The mirror will only lie, when you look at it through a mask.”
― Anthony Liccione

I like this quote because it reminds me to be myself. What you put out there is going to reflect back on you, we’ve now determined through many of these quotes. So, what if what you put out there is a lie? A fake version of you? An ‘upgraded’ or exaggerated version of you? Let’s see if we can figure out what you’ll get back tenfold in your life… more fake people and lies. It might be fun to have a bunch of fake friends for a little while- I mean who doesn’t love a good party friend or two… but those friends leave you feeling emptier than if you were just alone to begin with. The only person you end up really cheating is yourself when you can’t be yourself. You begin attracting the wrong people- the people and things that align with your fake self. Why spend your life that way. Just be yourself. If you don’t know who that is- take the time to figure it out. Go travel – getting lost is one of the best ways to find yourself.

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” – Edith Wharton

Show your light- be the candle. And show others’ light- be the mirror. Shine as brightly as you can, it gives others permission to do the same. It makes for a better world, and a brighter and lighter place for everyone.