i see her looking in the
mirror
tucking in a piece of
hair
and evaluating
a sad tragedy
that comparing found it’s way
into the world
reflections make
or break our day
(starting at such
young ages)
images from the mall
imbedded deep
make it hard to teach truth
to the little
girls
Taking joy in living is a woman's best cosmetic. ~Rosalind Russell
Along with these thoughts came the memory of the image below taken in San Miguel. This was not a posed image. When i saw this woman across the way i instantly saw beauty. I think the impression came mostly from her calm demeanor, her steady gaze, and the style she seemed to exude. I think she took joy in living.
It' sad to watch these little 12 year old girls despair about a small physical imperfection they see in the mirror---and yet, as older women, we still don't completely get it.
ReplyDeleteYou are right. We don't. As i tried to imply in the poem, i think "comparing" is often the underlying culprit. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look our best, and it is good to celebrate physical beauty as well as the beauty of nature etc. But, it's the insecurity or pride that results from comparing that strikes me as the tragedy for both the young and the old.
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