When I look in the mirror, I see..

When I look in the mirror, I see….. N’s small face peeking from behind me, a smile lighting it up like sunshine, “May I please leave my hair open today?” she asks. I turn back and look at her, “If you’re going to play, you make a pony, you know that.” “Okay,” she agrees reluctantly taking over the mirror.
I move away to see H dashing down with his shirt half tucked in, hair askew, collar standing. I make a grab for him, “You can’t go down like that. Take two minutes to stand before the mirror and look at yourself.” “Excuse me,” he says to N, with mock sweetness, squeezing in beside her, trying to smooth down his hair with one hand while stuffing his shirt into his jeans with the other then dodges me and runs away, collar still standing. N takes over the mirror. I watch her tying a neat little pony, meticulously tucking her hair in before skipping off.

A sigh and a smile and I get on with my day.

When I look in the mirror, I see… a cushion flying right at me. I duck and it crashes into its reflection. H tries to look contrite while N chortles, “Bad aim!!” And I turn pretending to be angry only to pick up the offending cushion and join in the fight. I see the look of surprise on the twins’ faces turn to delight as I thump each of them in turn. I win hands down till they decided to team up and have me down in a moment. Finally we all dissolve into laughter and collapse onto the bed in a happy heap.

I’m really too busy for that mirror.


When I do get around to looking in the mirror, I see …. 

Deep laugh lines, crows feet by the eyes.
A head of brown hair with some silver surprise.
A few frown lines up there on the forehead
For worries are part of a life well lead.
What I really see is a contented me
a contented me smiling right back at me.
But she has a complaint, or is it a plea?
She’d like to perhaps, see a little more of me.
Yes, I assure her, just a few years more
I’m fine, I add but I’m busy you see
Please let me be, for a few years let go,
I can’t stop now lest I miss the kids grow.
Once they’ve grown and have learnt to fly
That’s when we’ll talk, we’ll talk - you and I
But until that happens I have little time for you
a glimpse or two will just have to do.
***********

Linking up to Finish the Sentence Friday hosted this week by FindingNinee and AprilNoelle. The prompt this week is "When I look in the mirror, I see.."

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