Who is the woman I see in the mirror every day?

Who is the woman I see in the mirror every day? Do I know her? Do I really know her?

Every time I approach the mirror I have the urge to improve her. I definitely know she needs a better body, different clothes, makeup and a lot of other improvements. But even if I try to improve her, I feel no sense of satisfaction.

I'm looking at her, but I don't ​see​ her. My blindness helps me not to notice the sadness in her eyes. She appears before me everyday, but I never recognize her. She feels so lonely behind the mirror but has no chance to be seen.

Then one day she decided not to appear. I looked for her in every mirror, large and small. I put my head so close I could barely see anything, but there was no sign of her.

I started to cry. I was awash with tears, but I didn't find any relief. Then I closed my eyes and heard whispering from inside.

Stop crying. You are not alone. I'm still here waiting for you to notice who you really are. I'm still hoping you will listen to your inner voice rather than the voices of people around you. I'm still struggling when you are trying to be something you are not. I'm still expecting you to come before the mirror with no other intention than to be as you are.

Do you know how beautiful you are—just as you are?
Do you know how far you can go if you decide to follow your dreams?

Please don't be afraid. I'm here with you. I'm waiting.

And I rose, and I came, and I took a look. How long was I standing there? Night changed the day. Darkness came into my room, so it was hard to identify anything in the mirror. But I could see myself clearly and more brightly than ever before.

No judgment arose in my mind, good or bad. Wrinkles were just wrinkles. A face was just a face. A body was just a body. Clothes were just clothes. Emotions were just emotions. Thoughts were simply thoughts. Every part of me was seen and accepted as it is. So, I no longer needed all the things that weren't part of me, things I was holding onto so tightly to protect myself from the outer world. I had no black spots to hide and no holes to fill. I could see that I am not good or bad. I just am.

When I saw myself as I was, powerful energy arose from inside so I could discover who I had become. I saw not just me but all the important things inside: my dreams, my passions, my mission, my gratitude, my love.

I felt life energy flowing through me. I was fully alive—excited and calm at the same time.

What about the woman in the mirror? She was smiling at me and I smiled back. I felt relief, calm and at peace.

_{Photo by Matheus Bertelli, pexels.com}