Mirror Mirror

There Are No Mirrors in my Nana’s House~

Sweet Honey and the Rock

Y.M. Barnwell ©1992

There were no mirrors in my Nana's house,
no mirrors in my Nana's house.
There were no mirrors in my Na's house,
no mirrors in my Nana's house.
And the beauty that I saw in everything
was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun).

I never knew that my skin was too black.
I never knew that my nose was too flat.
I never knew that my clothes didn't fit.
I never knew there were things that I'd missed,
cause the beauty in everything
was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun);
...was in her eyes.

There were no mirrors in my Nana's house,
no mirrors in my Nana's house.
And the beauty that I saw in everything
was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun).

I was intrigued by the cracks in the walls.
I tasted, with joy, the dust that would fall.
The noise in the hallway was music to me.
The trash and the rubbish just cushioned my feet.
And the beauty in everything
was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun).
...was in her eyes.

Comparison is dangerous.  I know we all do it, but it is seriously dangerous to our self-esteem.  As a society, we are bombarded with messages about who is the richest, thinnest, fastest, etc.  We look at great athletes like Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong, Greg Louganis, etc. in admiration.  Honestly, there is nothing wrong with that.  One can be encouraged and inspired by these individual’s great ability and achievement.  I know I am.  But over the holiday, I took some time to watch the Ironman 2011. I found myself more intrigued by the athlete who took the full 17 hours to complete the race than the one who won the race.  See these people are the “everyday” athlete.  They don’t have sponsors or corporate deals.  They are moms, dads, co-workers, etc.   They reflect the common “man.”

Someone asked me about running times and my goals after my last half marathon. My official time was 2:44, but Garmin was 2:30.  I know this it was a fun time! Anyway…. I was perfectly, honest with them and said, “my goals have changed because I have changed.”  It was the first time that I was ever able to laugh at the fact that I had to walk the entire Baltimore marathon because I was sick on the course, but I finished.  It would have been easier to talk about all my 4:00-4:30 marathon times; sub 2:30 halfs and sub-1:40 10 milers.  Instead, I chose to speak of the “unspeakable.”  Something I was so ashamed of for such a long time that I have not run a marathon since 2006.

My perspective has changed because I have changed.  I see a new reflection. I chose to surround myself around positive reflections of myself and positive attitudes. 

What is your mirror reflecting back at you?  Are the messages negative or positive?

~Stayfitt