Distorted Reflections

(Inspired by my granddaughter’s poetry)

I look in the mirror and see:

Sprouting black mustache hairs,

A creviced face and turkey neck,

Bulging tummy, droopy breasts.

My teenage granddaughter stands next to me,

Also searching her reflection for perceived flaws.

Yet I see her as a gift, wrapped in a full-lipped smile,

Sparkling brown eyes framed by long curly lashes,

High cheekbones, perfect figure.

And inside the package: 

A kind and loving heart,

An adventurous spirit,

A creative writer and artist,

An animal lover and gifted athlete.

Why can’t she see the beauty I see?

And what does she see in me that I am not admiring in myself?

So I study my reflection again,

This time with gratitude rather than judgment.

Only then can I appreciate who I have become with the help of others.

I see:

Well coiffed hair (Credit to Sherry)

Toned arm and leg muscles (Yay, Conifer Jazzercize) 

A healthy body (Praise God)

A writer sharing my message with others,

(Appreciation to my writing groups)

A Mussarnik on her spiritual journey

Not toward perfection or to emulate another,

But to become a better me in service to my family, my community, my world.

(Thank you, Rabbi Jamie, Alan Morinis, fellow Mussar travelers)