I’m starting with the man in the mirror, I’m asking him to change his ways.
And no message could have been any clearer, If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change. ~Michael Jackson
Although I am not really a Michael Jackson fan, the words to this song often ring in my head.
The beautiful thing about these words is I believe they cross all religious, racial, and gender barriers.
And most importantly, it puts the onus on me.
So then I proceed to look in the mirror, and I see an old man standing there. He looks familiar, much like a handsome young man I used to know.
How powerful these perceptions are of myself. And how strongly it impacts me that I am growing old.
I am decaying, and witnessing first hand my own impermanence. This can create some very disturbing emotions for me sometimes.
Except that now I realize, through my practice, this is the way of all things. I am exactly how I should be and where I should be this very moment. And I have an opportunity now, that I have never had before. The opportunity to become awakened. To see the beauty in this very day and time in my life. It never happened before and will never happen again! What a spectacular event!
Therefore, should I not make this a most special day? A celebration of this moment, of all the things and beings that have come into existence in this moment to share this glorious day with me.
Today is the present, today is the gift!
So I can see clearly that I choose how to view this man in the mirror. I can see the suffering of my own deterioration or I can see the birth of my life today. I think I actually see both. And I am happy for both views. One would not exist without the other.
You see I think I am learning to embrace my disturbing emotions. I see them now as an integral part of existence. When I think about it further, I think about a baby being born. When a baby is first born they start crying. Their very first feelings are those of suffering. Yet everyone around that baby is filled with joy!
This is truly the nature of all things. Just as the Fall means the dying of so many plants (living things), most of us find Fall the most beautiful season.
So I think I see that man in the mirror as a baby being born, as a man in his Fall season. It’s my birth day today and I am in one of my most beautiful seasons too. :)
I hope you can see these things for yourself as well when you look in the mirror today.
May you each be well, happy and peaceful.
