I was not expecting my mother to look back at me; however, an uncanny resemblance of her was in the mirror. In reality, she was on my mind as it was the anniversary the ceremony of her exit from this world to be with my dad, my brother, her sisters and parents. In reality, it was not the first time I have looked into the mirror and seen an increasing physical resemblance.
Physical similarities aside, I am not my mother. I lift weights and do not have her signature string bean arms. I avoid ham and cheese casserole and skip the daily Scotch on the Rocks in lieu of grilled veggies and a glass of vino, now and then.
Most importantly, I learned how I didn't want to live and how I wanted to live my life from watching my mother' and her generation: I'm embracing healthy eating; looking ahead; enjoying my career, accepting a not-perfect home, and embracing the small moments of life.
Yet, the face in the mirror increasingly resembles my mother, who I do miss.
4 comments:
What a lovely sight you saw in the mirror.
Your piece reflects the way that we are those who come before us, yet we are so uniquely ourselves.
My wife has a saying, "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, I am my mother after all." Like you, though, she knows it's not true; there are plenty of differences, and just a few similarities. It's good we we're able to learn from the generations before us, both what to do as well as what not to do. Thank you for sharing this!
A wonderful reflection showing how you've put yourself in the driver's seat. While you may look more and more like your mother, you are becoming a wonderful version of you! And that's something to celebrate.
I love this so much. I had a similar experience in high school after being bullied about my looks, when I realized how much I looked like my grandmother. I've carried it with me as a gift because not everyone has the family connections to see these things for themselves. Such a beautiful reflection...(pun intended :))
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