Daily Prompt: The Mirror Crack’d
You wake up one morning to a world without mirrors.
How does your life — from your everyday routines to your perception of yourself — change?
I always feel more glamorous than I actually look in a mirror.
I wake up feeling beautiful! I think I have long full, soft flowing hair, clear skin, and the lithe grace of a well rested body.
But mornings are full of surprises since the gorgeous woman I expect to see in the mirror has shocking locks of hair sticking straight up and out in wild spikes. The wrinkles and spots are all still there too. And any lithe grace somehow disappears leaving a body and face that needs work; a lot of work!
The face in the mirror is definitely shocking.
Without mirrors, blind combing could tame the savage beast except that smoothing one spike results in another popping up somewhere else. True taming requires eagle eye observations in a mirror. I even have a magnifying mirror next to a regular mirror to accomplish such tasks.
A little lipstick might create the illusion of youthful health too. But without a mirror the application would be via touch and feel and would undoubtedly go out of bounds for a Halloween House of Horrors image.
Sans mirrors I would probably not be married!
Would anyone see past all those flaws to my scintillating personality?
The upside is I would go through each day thinking I had long sparkling, under control locks, a peaches and cream complexion, a tiny waist and the vitality, vigor and strength to accomplish all my goals.
I would bound along feeling taller, stronger, younger, and of movie star beauty!
The rest of the world would whisper and snicker and I would wonder why.
And maybe my husband would marry me after all – for my goodness of character and talent for self delusion.
There is a valuable message in this Daily Prompt because it reminds me that I am who I am, and I would surely like myself a whole lot more without mirrors.
“And maybe my husband would marry me after all – for my goodness of character and talent for self delusion.” Ha. Love your take on this question as well as the twist at the end. Judy
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There is beauty at every age!
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I already think I look like Meg Ryan. Without mirrors, for sure I would assume that to be true!
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Great read – and a great idea!
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Love this post! I look forward to becoming a regular reader 🙂
http://www.makemeupmarie.com
xoxo
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Confidence is everything. Mirrors be damned. 🙂
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What an interesting concept – no mirrors! I, too, feel a lot better about myself before I look in the mirror. I just don’t feel as big as I look in the mirror LOL :).
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Yes, we are what we are! Acceptance is the best thing at this age and to accept the years. Thoughtful post but it could apply to those younger also.
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Hurrah! We have the right attitude….
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Thanks so much for visiting my blog Mary! I checked yours out too and I’m following you. I too look forward to becoming a regular reader. 🙂
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I am delighted you have found my blog and thank you for that lovely comment. 🙂
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LOL! No, I should not laugh. I just haven’t yet chosen the appropriate movie star lookalike for me. 🙂
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So, there is hope. Ahhhhh, sweet hope.
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Thanks Judy! I just read your poem re the mirrors too. Hilarious! I am following you. 🙂
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So true! I also have a magnifying mirror suction-cupped to my regular mirror. Several years ago, I had two gals wallpaper our bathroom. One of them remarked that if she lived here, that magnifying mirror would have to go. But, my opinion is…if everyone else is seeing something when they look at me, I want to see it FIRST, so I can (hopefully) fix it if need be (and if possible!).
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Have you ever met a woman who doesn’t seem to know she’s not attractive by most standards, and yet by the sheer power of her personality and vibrancy, she steadily becomes more beautiful? That woman with the certain “je ne sais quoi” whose belief in her own fabulousness makes her so? I’m not that woman, but I’ve known a couple – one is my oldest friend – and I’ve noticed, too, that men still gravitate to her even now, when she is well into her seventies. I hope to be a bit like her as I age.
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The two faces of the mirror can be our friend and our enemy.
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Love thyself no matter what the mirror reflects – that’s my motto! 🙂
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I lI agree with Coastal Crone that acceptance is best at any age–or, as you wrote, “I am who I am.”
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Yes, but I suppose help is at hand to deceive ourselves longer with mirrors and other artificial camouflage.
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Good motto Eliza… 🙂 I will give that a try.
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And maybe our biggest critic.
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Yes, I agree Barbara. There are some women who just exude something special even if they are not beautiful by society’s standards. I think my mother was like that and almost everyone loved her.
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That little extra mirror makes a big difference in a lot of ways! Glad I’m not alone and you didn’t let the wallpaper gals convince you to discard it. 🙂
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Ditto Cindy! I feel much slimmer before I look in the mirror. Am back on the total body vibration machine with high hopes. Ha! 🙂
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I must admit that I am addicted to mirrors to frequently assure myself of the standard of perfection that I have set for myself probably since childhood….i think without mirrors i would experience levels of anxiety & withdrawal similar to an addiction …ok…so i may be somewhat vain…considering my profession of ‘hairstylist ‘ ..being in the ‘zone’ of looking the best i can & assisting others to do the same..Thats my story & I’m stickn’ to it!
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Also I observe that it is much less traumatic to become “une femme d’un certain age” if you have not relied on your looks alone to get through life. Important to have developed that scintillating personality of yours, Dor!
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My pleasure!
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I love your story Nora! And your being in the zone is definitely to my advantage. 🙂
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Ah, a world without mirrors…I think I’d like that too except I probably would have a crooked ‘face’ if I tried to put on makeup without one. I’m always way thinner in my mind than when I look in a mirror! :-O
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Blahahaha! A crooked face! I wish I had thought of that one for the mirror-post. And I am always way thinner in my mind too (except for now when my slax feel too tight sitting at the computer). 🙂
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What a great chuckle in your post this morning – being without a mirror, but I’m going to run out and find the closely pond reflection and then really shriek! Oh my age, what a great and necessary evil for gaining confidence in self!
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Hmmmmm. I might look better in a pond! Great idea Mary.
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They say perception is reality … and it can be if we only avoid the mirrors.
Dora … I love this: “And maybe my husband would marry me after all – for my goodness of character and talent for self delusion.” I’m sure he would … especially for your character’s goodness and your talent for self delusion.
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🙂 We are both blessed! 🙂
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