When you get what you want as you struggle for self
And the world makes you queen for a day,
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that woman has to say.

For it isn’t your father or mother or husband
Who’s judgement upon you must pass;
The person whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

She’s the person to please, never mind all the rest,
For she’s with you clear up to the end.
And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the woman in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of life,
And get pats on your back as you pass.
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the woman in the glass. — Dale Wimbrow

A woman at our church shared this poem in a sermon that she gave last night. I was quite taken with it as it spoke to the journey that I have been on. The journey to be true to myself, to make friends with myself and to not cheat the woman in the glass. I can say that I am not always successful with this. I take a few steps forward and then sometimes crash backwards. Other times I find myself skipping forward and remaining there enjoying where I have found myself. I imagine this is how it will continue to be. I know that it will become easier as I make being true to myself part of my very own essence and keep striving to honor myself. It is when I submit to the struggle of crashing backward that I will have failed and cheated the woman in the glass. There are certainly days or just even tears in the fabric of my day where I whisper to myself that it would be easier to succumb and allow duty to swallow me up and dishonor the woman in the glass. The thought of this saddens me and breaks my heart so somehow within the depths of me I summon up the courage to look her in the eye and promise that I will be true to her. And as I do, she sighs with relief as she expels the breath she has been holding, a new resolve coming over her. She takes in a new breath knowing, feeling and trusting that no matter how many steps backward there are, the only thing that matters is that steps continue to be taken forward in the process of being true to her.

In the search for this poem I found it interesting how many poems there were that related to women in the glass or mirror. I would like to share one more of them here as I found it quite relevant and fitting.

Woman In The Mirror

When hope seems just beyond my reach,
And my dreams dissipate swiftly,
Like dewdrops warmed by the morning sun,
When the only friend around,
Is the one looking back at me in the mirror,
Those are the times when I reach out,
To the only person in the universe
Who knows exactly who I am,
Sometimes I hardly recognize her, and yet
She is a friend like no other.
Courage and strength emanate from her,
With a pure heart, she is loving and kind.
The wisdom of maturity shines in her eyes,
And she is the light that guides my way,
When the road ahead is dark.
I willingly place my trust in her,
Because I know I can.
In wonder I gaze into her knowing eyes,
Grinning, she winks at me,
and I know I’ll be okay.
My soul is intact; my heart is open,
And I truly love my dearest friend,
The woman who looks back at me in the mirror. — Annabel Sheila

The person who stares back at you in the mirror can either be your enemy or your friend. Choose to make her your friend. Choose to be true to her, to trust her, to love her and together you will find yourself on an amazing adventure.