Riddle Riddle Ree ... I See Something You Don't See..

Me

I look in the mirror and see the flaws of a women's reflection.  I became saddened by the weight gain, the stretch marks, the gray hairs and the wrinkles.  I use to have the goal that I was going to have the body of a 25 year old by the time I turn 45.  But as the years passed, I began to realize that my goal of regaining the figure, smooth skin and dark hair with red highlights is not possible.  But why do I want to go back?

I look in the mirror and see the wrinkles around my eyes and around my mouth.  I stare and grin and notice that as I grin the wrinkles match up with my smile.  I look in the mirror and see that those wrinkles are the reminder of all the times I was happy and all the times I laughed.  It reminds me of silly nights with my girlfriends, snowball fights with my children and smiling at my husband when we catches me staring at him.

I look in the mirror and see the weight I have gained.  Then I remember the five past years of struggling with my knee replacements.  That because of my surgeries, I became inactive and I gained weight.  I remember the fact that my husband was there to support me.  I remember my girlfriend, Harriet, sitting with me while I recovered and gave me unconditional love.  I remember my mother taking care of me and my children, and realizing that she always has my back.   And as I look in the mirror I no longer see my pain from my knee  and know that in time everything gets better.

I look in the mirror and see the stretch marks.  But those stretch marks are my badge of courage.  The courage to carry both my boys through difficult pregnancies that included five months of bed rest and countless trips to the hospital.  I remember how I worried and cried myself to sleep.  How I would pray daily that my baby would be okay.  And the day each of them were born, I knew that it was all worth the trials and tribulation.

I look in the mirror and see the gray hairs and know that they are a sign of my wisdom.  Wisdom that only comes with age.  Because with age we have had the time to make the mistakes, to survive the mistakes and to learn from the mistakes.  Just as I now must let my children make their own mistakes, and know they will survive and learn.

I look in the mirror and see....me.  I see the girl I was, the women I am, and then wonder where the next part of my journey will take me.

Riddle Riddle Ree... What Do You See?