Tuesday, June 9, 2009

The Stranger In My Mirror...!


I know that this has happened to you.

You walk in the bathroom to comb your hair or brush your teeth or take care of business...then you look at the mirror and suddenly you see a stranger!

Chances are the image you see is a lot different than the image you carry in your head. Some of us can carry a realistic picture of our self in our head, but for most of us the image we see is not what we was expecting at all!

For me, the image in my mirror tends to be a lot heavier than I really am. Must be a fault in the glass or something! When I glance in the mirror, instead of seeing a slightly greying, gracefully aging elderly gentleman with wisdom and truth showing in his eyes...I am instead greeted by an old guy with grey hair and beard, a healthy pot belly, big enough bags under my eyes to take a long trip, and nothing showing in my eyes except for the bloodshot whites! In fact, some days my eyes look like a California road map!

I have no idea why the image in my mirror has more than one chin! And jowls...! Jowls!! That's only something that really old or fat guys get, right? WRONG!

Welcome to the real world!

I guess if the truth be known, many of us have the same reaction from time to time. Luckily, even though Mother Nature has a twisted sense of humor, she isn't so cruel that the image stays in the mirror for long. Soon that image fades and the image staring back at us is more in keeping with the one hiding in our foggy brain and memory!

Nature's kind in that regard...She really is!

What we need to do, is start studying "Mirror Survival"! That's the art of getting past the true image in the mirror, and replacing it with the image that we keep in our fog filled memory! After all, a very large part of feeling good is in believing you look good! Isn't it...well, isn't it?

I think I'll just be content to continue being just what I am. The image I tend to carry inside my foggy head now days, is more in line with the image in the mirror. Since I can't do a lot about it, I might as well get used to it. Become acquainted again, so to speak!

Who knows...? I might be a nice enough guy once I get to know me, ya know?

Now, my friend, let's get some coffee and sit on the patio for a bit, OK? I'll be the old guy with grey hair and beard sitting across from you...at least I think so!

27 comments:

Rod said...

All I have to do if I do not like the image staring back at me is take off my glasses. Changes everything immediately! I then can be who ever I want to be!

Rod

HermitJim said...

Hey Rod...
Nopw that's one thing that I hadn't thought of! Thanks for the suggestion, buddy, and thanks also for dropping by!

Felinae said...

Well, Uncle Hermit...

I like to think of old guys with grey hair and beards as being distinguished.

It would be my plesure, Sir, to share a cup of coffee with you.

Smiles~Felinae~

HermitJim said...

Hery Felinae...
I appreciate that! I wonder though, if that's distinguised...or extinguished?

Either way, I'd be proud to have you sit for a cup, fair lady!

Pat said...

Hi Jim...I was in Academy one day and I walked past a big mirror. I glanced over and looked and I could have sworn I saw my Mother - who had passed away several years ago. I backed up, took a double-take and I'll be darned, it was ME!! I got the hell out of there. haha Great post!! Pat/Texas

Anonymous said...

Hi Jim;
Get a different mirror, or put a picture of you at 45 over your mirror. lol
Great post.

Anonymous said...

I'm getting to where viewing that 'Stranger in the Mirror' has to be done casually, glancing with one eye closed, then opening the other and taking in the rest. Sheesh - what the hell happened to me?

Also getting to the age where I'm forgetful. I've been shaving in the shower (no shaving cream, just plain ol' soap!), and without a mirror, have to take care I finish the job. A coupla months ago, I came with half a moustache to work, lol.

Luckily, I normally come in early anyway, so I got my car razor (don't ask, lol) and was able to finish the job.

Great post - have a good day.

Kyddryn said...

G'mornin', Mister Hermit, sir.

I rarely look in mirrors - I have an aversion to being so baldly reflected, over-lit and every spot or out-of-place hair showing. Oddly, I do not mind lines or grey - they're the map shows where I've been, the varying experiences that have chipped away the extraneous and shaped me to date.

Mirrors tell the truth, but untempered with compassion or love. I'd rather be reflected in water, or in another's eyes, where at least I know my hard lines will be softened and my soft lines of less import.

As an aside, I named my son after a grey-haired, distinguished fellow...a man who (without fear of hyperbole) saved my life and salvaged what was left of my sanity when I was just a child.

Figure the lines are the map, the bags a result of good living, the grey a mark of character, of distinguishment (yes, I made up a word...forgive me, it's what I do), and the softening of your lines a sign that you are living contented, settled in your skin and happy to be there.

Shade and Sweetwater,
K

Rae said...

Never ever look in a mirror before 10PM and then only with the lights off. You will be amazed at how good you look then.

Baby Sis said...

I have to agree with Kyddyn (great name!)as I have no desire to erase my life from my face. All those laugh lines show that I have been pretty happy, all in all. And Bubba, I'm happy to see your old hawk-nose face anytime! I noticed just last week at the hospital that you have become a most appealing combination of Daddy and Grandma King. I love that face!

JoJo said...

Great Post and great comments. LOL
I think when you hit a certain age you figure that it isn't the outside wrapping that makes a person its the inside. I wonder if it came about when I took that good look and realized that wasn't the face or body I used to be. Oh well life goes on, and be happy with yourself.
Now lets all sit on the patio and have a great cup.
JoJo

Phelan said...

I wrote a poem once, about the stranger in the mirror. It's about my grandmother, but goes along the same lines. And the plug goes to this blog post.

The thing is, with my migraines causing so many holes in my brain, that I too am having issues with a stranger in the mirror, but on a level of not even knowing who it is staring back at me. I tend to avoid mirrors because it can be scary.

HermitJim said...

Hey Pat...
I remember years ago, someone (probably my dad) told me if I wanted to know what my girlfriend at the time would look like grown to just look at her mother!

Sometimes a glance can startle us, for sure! Hey, thanks for coming by, Pat!


Hey Tony...
Maybe that's why I started wearing beard years ago, so I wouldn't have to look in the mirror!

Hey, thanks for coming by, Tony!


Hey Anon...
Now that's what I call planning ahead! Having a car pazor when you need it...PRICELESS!

Thanks for the comment, my friend!


Hey K...
I find that what you say makes perfect sense to me. I really don't mind getting older, it certainly beats the alternative! I do sometimes wish that I could have weathered the storm of life a little more gracefully!

Thanks for the wonderful comments and the always welcomed visit!

Catman said...

Dude,

You ain't looking in the mirror. You're looking at that poster of Jerry Garcia you have hanging on the wall!

Have a good one!

HermitJim said...

Hey Rae...
Sounds like very sage advice to me! I'll certainly have to try it!

Thanks for coming by, Rae...I appreciate it!


Hey Sis...
I certainly can't think of any two people I'd rather look like! I am very happy to have you think I resemble both of these good people...it makes me very proud indeed!

I certainly do appreciate you taking the time to come over today and having a cup with me!


Hey JoJo...
I guess that if the truth be known, I'm pretty satisfied with who and what I am. Can't change it, so I might as well enjoy it, ya know?

Jo, with all that's going on in your life today, I can't tell you just how much I enjoy your visit! Sharing a minute with you is a pure joy, my friend!


Hey Phelan...
Thanks so much for the link to your post and poem! I'm afraid you're right about the view sometimes being scary! Just glad I'm fairly used to it!

Thanks for coming by, my friend!

HermitJim said...

Hey Catman...
Wow! I'm glad you told me cause I was getting concerned about what I must have missed out on! Now I feel a little better...I think!

many thanks for the visit, Catman...I do appreciate it a lot!

Edain said...

Mirrors? What are they?

HermitJim said...

Hey Edain...
See? That's the attitude I should have taken! It would certainly solve a lot of problems...

Thanks for the visit, Edain!

Stephanie in AR said...

I try to avoid mirrors as much as possible but that can be hard when I'm trying to teach the kids how to be neat & tidy. Oh well, as long as people are not running down the street screaming...

HermitJim said...

Hey Stephanie...
I guess that if the kids don't flinch, and the DH doesn't run in the morning then all is well!

Thanks for the welcomed visit, Step!

Grandpa Eddie said...

Boy do I hear ya on that one, Jim. That guy I see in the mirror sure isn't the one I remember....but then, my memory ain't quite as good as it once was.

It wasn't that long ago that I had color in my mustache and beard....at least I still have a little left in my eyebrows....sort of, and the hair on top seems to be grayer every time I look at it. I think I'll stop looking.

JoJo said...

Hi my Special Friend,
Reading your blog first thing in the morning is what gets me going these last few days. trying to get through this dazzed feeling and wading through all this legal stuff.
You are all keeping me smiling this morning with the comments.
JoJo

HermitJim said...

Hey Eddie...
I'm with you, brudda! I think the best thing for us to do is either stop looking or stop minding what we see!

As far as the color of the hair...I guess that we can be fortunate that we still have some to turn, ya know!


Hey JoJo...
I'm glad we can help in any way to get your day jump started a bit! I love the fact that you come by in the morning and spend some time here.

You have a beautiful day, my friend!

Lydia said...

Ah Jim, I have the same dang mirror! Sometimes I even see my mom looking back at me from it!

I like Rod's idea except I don't wear glasses...

Pictures can do the same darn thing. Good thing for digital cameras and the delete button :)

As for you, I'm sure you're as wonderful on the outside as you are on the inside !

Have a good night Jim. Great post!

lydia

HermitJim said...

Hey Lydia...
I think that cameras are worse than mirrors, if that's possible.

I'm getting to the point that I just am giving up on how I look!

That's about all I can do!

Trailshome said...

I think that God may have done us a kindness, dimming our vision as it becomes less pleasant to look in a mirror. We can choose whether to see that person in there or not, and put on our glasses accordingly!

HermitJim said...

Hey Trails...
I think you may be right! The universe does show us that kindness, for sure!

Thanks so much for coming by!