THE MIRROR

One of the activities in my Self – awareness and Values Exploration Workshop would lead one to use a mirror. Though I only gave it to the participants as an assignment, I led them to face the mirror and look at their face squarely, most particularly the eyes.

Why the eyes? I was in college in when I was given the opportunity to give my first talk to college students in the Freshmen Formation (FFP) Program. I was invited by one of the Philosophy teachers who entrusted to me a particular topic. I was so frightened. I was imagining all sorts of bad things that could happen.

One day , prior to the appointed date for such talk, I was combing my hair in front of the mirror. As I was looking at myself straight to the eyes, I captured that moment of fear so clearly displayed before my eyes from my own two pairs of eyes (hahahhaha).

And so I started talking to myself. The conversations went like this :

G : what happened Dang? You seem to be very afraid

Dang : yes I am. You should have not said yes to that invitation

G : why? I believe you can do that

Dang : Who told you I can do that

G : I did and I know … I know you…your capacity…everything about. We’ve been together Dang for years…

Dang : And what does that mean? That doesn’t give you the license to dictate me or decide for me.

G: Oh I am sorry…I should have consulted you first. What do you like now? Do you want to back out?

Dang : why ? Do you want me to do that?

G: Well I am not going to force you if you are not comfortable. But the fact that you know full well about the topic and that you might be able to contribute something good to these students…that would be something worthwhile to do right?

Dang : I believe you. But I am still afraid

G : Oh that…hehe it is fine…I understand you..but we will prepare right?

Dang : You will help me

G: Of course I would…we have been doing things together

Dang : Not when you decided

G : Oh that…again , I am so sorry…

On and on...so on and so forth. That’s how it is with me. I get to apply the same process with the participants in my workshops. It did well to me and it was with them, too. It boosted my and their self-esteem in the process (hehe as far as I know from the sharings of the participants).

And so everytime I get to feel any of the extremes of emotions (except in public hehehe I can't use my face powder mirror), I allow and waste time with myself on the mirror.

The eyes are the windows of the soul. The seat of the most honest of emotions. One may be able to say that he or she is happy but when you get to check the eyes, a lot of times, it displays the contrary (except may be to some of those with eye defects). The eyes cannot lie.

“Mirror …mirror…on the wall…who is the fairest of them all”. Remember this fairytale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs? The mirror with its real and true capacity and nature displayed the true answer to the question of the ugly, deceiver and thief of identity , the wicked Queen.

Amidst that part of us trying to inch and forward the lies about us. Yet the whole truth can come out when we are brave enough to deal with ourselves squarely on – THE MIRROR.


An exercise :

Find yourself a comfortable room where you could do the exercise above. Just give yourself this break with any of your emotional experiences. Do it alone. After the exercise, give yourself a big hug and perhaps you can bombard yourself with all positive things you can say such us "I love you", " I believe in you", " I am proud of you", etc.

God bless everyone...strive always to be your own best friend :-) and be Joyfully hopeful:-)