Mirror of Self

A very short exploration discussion about stages of life's dreams and hope.

Looking in the mirror, today.   Who do I see ?

Do I see a person, young, vibrant, my future expansive and vast.  A future with no limits to its extent ? A future of limitless hope and possibilities.  It is constrained by nothing and is energized with the enthusiasm of youth and limitless time in which it will be developed and achieved. It is the most exciting view. much as looking out across the vast sea, as I stand on a sea shores rocky crest.  The view limited only by the haze of distance to traverse to its most distant shore, way beyond the gray and murky horizon of time. A future that has yet to swallow any dreams into its waves of reality and crashes them onto the rocky shore, as the waters smashing crests. 

Do I see a midlife worn person today ?  The person that still has a view of those dreams of youth, but they seem to have become less clearly defined.  Those wondrous dreams and plans of youth, seem to have been battered about by realities of life and the winds of the change that constantly blow in variance to the planned direction intended.  Steerage of these events and effects are sometimes in control of the dreamer, but too much of the time.....it is but folly to attempt.  The realities of life forces upon those dreams and future are so vast as to do all but destroy any effort put forth by the lonely body striving to reach their completions. Despair and tiredness often become the travel companions of those things of the future dreamed about in youth.  But sufficient vigor yet remains that all hope is not yet lost.  Striving, and fortitude may  still have its time to reach the distant shores of dreams landscape.

In the mirror today, do I see a person of aged despair ? One that has had dreams of youth, plans of midlife, crashed back on the waves of life's oceans, against those rocks below, having been evaporated in the mist of the crashing waves. Events not dreamed of during the youthful joy of anticipation or perhaps events during the middle of life that changed the necessary course of those dreams.  Events so far beyond the control of the dreamer that it was pointless to struggle against them.  Acceptance of fate had to be the only course.  Changes could be made to some dreams but the core of ones essence dreams cannot be nor should not be forsaken, by any person.  But often it is those very dreams that become the most susceptible to the vast waves of reality that crashes them onto the rocky shore. Thus, the despair of the aged become realized.  There no longer is time for crossing the vast ocean of youthful times.  What once was as an ocean to cast the dreams, now has become close to being as a dried pond, with the reeds as cruel reminders of dreams bent, dreams broken, of dreams dead.

In the mirror today, I choose to see a person that regardless of the answer to these three questions, I still can make out the halo of hope, regardless of what I see in today's mirror.

Author's Note

I am not sure what Genre this brief discussion would best be described. It is essentially a stream of consciousness piece.

Reviews

[alanwgraham]

This is a quite unusual piece of writing for the writers cafe. I guess it could be called philosophical or inspirational. What you have written seems to me to be a general piece and not a personal one. I'm not sure that I agree with your generalisations however. Many young people today see little positive hope for the future whereas older people can still achieve fulfilment. It would be great if you could give an honest portrait of what you yourself see in the mirror.
However you have done very well here and given food for thought. This quest has informed a lot of my own writing but I know if is doomed to failure.
All the best,
Alan

[KurKota]

Sir, I truly appreciate that one of your apparent knowledge and use of the written word. Thank you for the time to provide your insights and reaction to the piece. I find it interesting that you perceive it as an expression of a generalist, while in my mind I was expressing what I am perceiving as my personal perspective, however, in reading it after your comments, it indeed does reflect a generalist application. Thank you for identifying this aspect.

[Paul]

Documentation
2/17/2020
10:56 AM U.S.A. AST
This review content authored by PB Jacobs (www.writerscafe.org).
My review content of "Mirror of Self," by KurKota...

Well, KurKota, I have a thought. I tend to outsource a lot of things out to my audience in my thought life, so I don't give my mind any grief. I hate it when I tick my mind off with what I'm thinking. It takes a few days, at least, to resolve the temper tantrum my mind throws.

A person's thoughts, go to a person's mind, as a person's mind is at his/her service, whether he or she likes it or not. These are undisputable facts. Pay attention to this as you live. You will find out for yourself that what I'm typing to you is true, KurKota!

So, as for your self-image pondering, which I think is a major element of your story's content, what do you think that your mind makes out of your self image? You think thoughts, and your mind takes these thoughts in, and reflects them back to you, self-image-wise. That's what I understand, at present.

Sure, there is always hope, and yes, it's there for those who want to have hope. The way to hope, inwardly, is never cut off, unless, a person is terminally insane. Why buy riff raff from idiots trying to sell people an insanity story that will never add up? Doing that doesn't make any sense to me, unless it really and undisputable has to, period!

Your content reflects A+ attitude, in ways. Great content!

PB Jacobs

[KurKota]

Thank you for reading my musings of reflection. I truly appreciate your thoughtful insights and comments. I will continue to contemplate your thought provoking observations. Thank you, again.

[Jason]

The writing itself was very well done but I think it would use a run through a grammar and spelling editor.

[KurKota]

I do appreciate your reading it, and your recommendations. I will just state here, not defensively but rather factually...I did write this purposely in a somewhat stream of consciousness manner, as one likely would do as one is standing in front of a mirror reflecting upon ones life. I do not believe in that situation, one is necessarily self-correcting for grammar, but I take your point. The other factor, unless I am missing something, having wrote and typed this "on site" I am not aware of a spell check feature here, but in re-reading it myself I am missing where you feel the errors exist. But again, thank you for your thoughts on it, I appreciate your time and input.

[Jason]

I understand that completely. Thank you for the response 😊

[KurKota]

You are so very welcome. Thank you again for taking your time to comment. I truly appreciate it. I do like honest and forthright feedback such as yours.