Here Comes the Mirror Man

All of us look in a mirror at least once or twice a day. We do this to ensure our appearance is presentable before we venture out to interact in public. Mirrors aren’t the only things that manifest our reality.  Children are an image of their parents. Gail Lumet Buckley said, “Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future. We make discoveries about ourselves.” Employees are a manifestation of their company.  Your friends are a rendition of you. Even pets are a reflection of their owners!

One of the greatest reflectors of all is a book. There is nothing quite so unassuming, so non-parochial, so neutral, as the written word. It is up to me to interpret and apply as I deem fit; to get as much out of it as I can, or to close its pages when it gets too personal. It’s tough to be objective about what is really in front of us when we look in the mirror. It’s also a real challenge to open our minds to the reality of words and what they mean for us.

We hear a lot of talk about vision. How is your vision when you look in the mirror? Do you see clearly what’s before you? Do you obsess that vision is really all about seeing things that others cannot and miss seeing things as they are?

My father used to tell me that if he could have one wish granted, he’d ask that I be permitted to see clearly, ten minutes a day. If that could be done, the world would beat a path to his door because even the saints have had to look through a glass darkly. One of the most exciting thoughts he ever shared with me is the discovery of what vision really is. It isn’t an unusual imagination or creativity reserved for the genius or the savant. No—as in all things, the best things are all at our feet, free and ready to be put to use. Vision is being able to see things as they are.

The next time you look in the mirror, or read a book, or have lunch with your family or friends, take the time to see what is really there.