The Mirror

A self-reflective story on body image.

    Many years ago, there used to be a crack right in the middle of my bathroom mirror. Did I create that fissure, in a fit of adolescent rage? Was it there ever since I could remember? I still do not know to this day. What I know for a fact is this.    

 

    Every single morning, I washed my face and brush my teeth. This was a daily ritual, rarely missed. Although simple, it held some special meaning to me. After the final rinse, I would always stare at my reflection in the broken glass surface. There was a time when I didn't recognize myself. One-half of the mirror would be the way I perceived myself:  plain, hideous, lackluster. The other one was the polar opposite: confident, sure of herself, dazzling, in one word, beautiful. I never understood how I envied the better version of me when she did not actually exist. I had made her up in my head all along. The mirror was getting the worst of me.

 

    Instead of breaking it until there were shards all over the floor like any other flawed person would, I did something else. I took a red lipstick, unscrewed its top and started marking the fissure in the mirror with the lipstick? Why? In an attempt to put it back together, I had a revelation. After so many years of dealing with self-image issues, I started taking care of myself. It all began with the exterior when I paid attention how I took care of my skin, which was no longer riddled with acne. My hair was finally shiny and healthy, dandruff-free. The makeup which I applied to mask my imperfections in order to make myself look perfect, hide who I was,  now enhanced my features.

    

     I slowly understood and listened to my body and dressed in more fitting clothes, as opposed to the loose pieces of cloth I used to bury myself under. Then everything pieced itself together. My inner  self matched my outer self. I accepted myself fully, well aware of my ever so present flaws that were left behind. I wear makeup because I tell myself I like it, not because my conscience says I need it to be beautiful. I can be myself.

 

    While I managed to fix most of what I loathed about myself, there are still some underlying issues stemming from my low esteem. I'm working on that. I'm working on myself, for myself, by myself. I'm taking things one day at a time.

Reviews

[nightshade]

that was a great story about body positivity and self love. it could have been longer giving you more time to dig deeper into the symbolism and positive messages.