How Did You get in My Mirror, Mom?

It was no secret. I looked like my mother. I heard it all the time. I had even been stopped on the street by people I didn’t recognize. “You must be Ruth Heiner’s daughter,” someone would say.

I assured them I was, and they would often respond by sharing a memory with me. My mother was a lovely person, beautiful and vivacious. I took it as a complement, but at sixteen I didn’t see the resemblance.

That was a long time ago.

Shortly after Mother died, she showed up in my mirror one day. It was a little scary. I thought she was gone, after all. And my mirror, of all places? Shouldn’t some things be sacred?

Though I couldn’t see the resemblance at sixteen, I could see it clearly at fifty- two, and it was no longer flattering. It was okay to look like my mom when she was a teenager, but I didn’t want to like her when she was…well,...old.

What are you doing in my mirror, Mom? How did you get there? I asked the older woman on the other side of the glass.

“You look like me,” she said. “You always have.”

Where did those wrinkles come from, and what about the gray hair?

“Well you do have seven children,” she said with a wink.

I guess I never recovered.

“Did you want to?” she asked with a smile.

No, of course not, I said as I reached for the hair dye.

Did I always have three chins?

“No, dear, but who’s counting?”

She giggled. I glared. What’s so funny? I wondered.

It’s great to see you, Mom, I lied. If I sassed her, would she come after me?

The truth is, I’d love to sit down and visit with Mom. I’d ask her about her new home. “How is Dad,” I’d say. “Do you see your sister much?” I’d want to know if she has made up with her siblings and if Grandpa still swears.

I’d ask her if she plays the organ, and grows bleeding hearts. I’d wonder what kind of quilt frames they use in heaven. I’d ask about our old dog Nikki and the horse she once named Hope.

I’d tell her about her grandkids. The same seven kids that turned my hair gray. They turned out great, I’d say. They are raising fine children and growing wrinkles of their own.

She would smile knowingly, because she’s been keeping track.

That’s only the beginning. I’d ask her about time in heaven. I’ve heard it’s different there, and what does heavenly music sound like? Has she bumped into any of my heroes? Handel? Bach? Joseph Smith? Heber J. Grant? Emma?

We’d have a lot of catching up to do, and if she had advice for me, I’d listen this time for sure. Maybe I’d take notes. Yeah, I’d love to see my mom, I really would. Just not in my mirror.

I have nothing against old people. They’re great. I love those silver haired angels, and who cares if they can’t remember much. You can always be their new best friend, and tomorrow you can do it again. Maybe someday I’ll take up Chinese checkers, or wheel chair racing, but for now…

I don’t want to look old. I don’t want to act old. I feel young inside. Even when my bones ache, and my blood sugar spikes, and I get winded pulling my pantyhose up, inside I’m still sixteen.

Maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

Linda Garner

Making Friends with Your Body

2 out of 5 women would trade 5 years of their life to be thin.

More women are suffering from anorexia or bulimia than are fighting breast cancer.

Most American girls begin to diet when they are just 8 years old.

Why are we our own worst enemies? How did our views get so distorted? We have a serious body image crisis on our hands. (from the operation beautiful video.)

Do you have a love/hate relationship with your body? Many women do. Do you cringe when you look in the mirror? Do you feel that beauty is reserved for the thin or the young or the well dressed? What a damaging message that is. Your body shows up for you 24/7 and does amazing work for you. How about a little appreciation?

Have you ever considered what a miraculous machine your body is?

The average human brain has 100 billion nerve cells. Nerve impulses to and from the brain travel at a speed of 170 mph. It takes the interaction of 72 muscles to produce human speech. The human heart creates enough pressure to squirt blood 30 feet. The average human heart will beat 3,000 million times and pump 48 million gallons of blood in its lifetime. Human blood travels 60,000 miles per day on its journey through the body. Each square inch of human skin consists of 20 feet of blood vessels. During a 24 hour period, the average human will breathe 23,040 times.

Those are startling facts, but let’s bring it home. Consider the value of the tasks your body does for you each day. Consider your feet which carry you anywhere you care to go. Consider your fingers and hands which serve you in so many ways. Think of your eyes and ears. Notice the beauty and joy they bring into your life. Imagine functioning without sight, without hearing. Your body is beautiful beyond belief. How about a little appreciation?

I like to take a few moments each day to thank my body for its service. Mentally and emotionally I send love and appreciation to every cell in my body. We’ve been friends for a long time, and I’d like to keep it that way. I also love doing kind things for my body like getting 8 hours of sleep, eating healthy foods, and finding time for exercise. I know my body is grateful when I take good care of it, but nothing beats a kind word.

Have you made friends with your body? Today’s a good day to start. Send a little love and appreciation out to your brain, your heart, your blood cells. Speak kindly to your your feet, your legs, your fingers. Send a smile of gratitude to your eyes, your ears, your mouth, your voice.

Enjoy your beautiful body, today. It is your very best friend.

Linda Garner