Reflections on reflections
Truths may be closer than they appear.
Got our motor running.
Head out on the highway.
Looking for adventure.
Huge mirror is in my way.
Well, not exactly the Steppenwolf lyrics, but they’re my current lyrics, as we’re hauling butt down the interstate in a 40-foot motorhome with another 10 feet of vehicle in tow. Part of my vision is obscured by huge side mirrors, the kind you see on semi-trucks. One is a large square. A second one beneath it is a wide rectangle with a convex bend.
For miles, I fixate on the mirrors, hypnotized by their different forms, contemplating their function.
I should mention I’m not driving (did I not mention that?). Rest easy, I’m not at the wheel.
I’m just fascinated by mirrors.
Well, I think I’m fascinated by mirrors.
It seems the older I get, the more honest mirrors are becoming (at least the ones in dressing rooms and bathrooms). So, I’m beginning to rethink whether I really like mirrors.
And the more I think about it, the more I realize, no, I do not like mirrors.
Because it’s not the mirrors I like, it’s the gateway to reflection that mirrors provide.
Mirrors on vehicles always puzzle me. Why should I be concerned with where I’ve already driven? Why is the road behind me important? Is the pavement I’ve trod in the past more important than the path laid out in front of me?
A rabbit hole of rearview mirror internet searches has messed up the algorithm on my computer, pre-populating my Amazon shopping cart with all things vehicular and shiny.
But the research has also given me time to reflect, which ironically, is precisely what mirrors are supposed to do.
Automobile mirrors are tools to help reduce our blind spots and let us see more of our own vehicles so we can safely change lanes and maintain awareness of the drivers around us.
Life reflection is a tool to help us reduce our blind spots and let us see more of ourselves so we can safely navigate through life while maintaining awareness of others around us.
Where we’ve been maybe in the mirror showing us what’s behind us, but there is still value embedded in that pavement that can help us smooth out our ride going forward.
Taking the time to reflect helps our drive in life. We need to be aware that we have blind spots (and damn those honest mirrors for proving that). But that awareness is important.
Where we’ve been in the past affects our path toward the future.
A lane we were in for the first part of our drive might dictate a lane change at some point.
The influence of other drivers on our highway of life might make an adjustment necessary.
Take a moment to check the mirrors of your life.
Is the lane you’re in the lane you want to be in?
Is the traffic around you necessitating a change?
Are you keeping an eye on your blind spots and adjusting accordingly?
We may not like the honesty of the mirror, but the reflections they bring to life are important to our drive forward.
So take the time to reflect, and be aware that truths may be closer than they appear.