"Reflection"
Looking in the mirror; who do you see? Who are your accusers? Is it a father who said you were worthless and would never amount to anything? Do you remember a mother who was neglectful? Or maybe your mother tried to protect you from the horrors at home that nobody else really knew about? Do you see a childhood trapped in excruciating pain, a life caught up in bruises you learned to hide from your friends, teachers, or the police who were called too many times to count? The authorities were the animal control of the beastly man who wore a human face- the face that belonged to someone who really felt worthless himself. He was the product of the unhealthy circle of a family that never changed.
Looking at your face, do you see someone who grew up feeling unworthy of love, not understanding how to trust or how to fit into the Leave it to Beaver family mold people are supposed to show their neighbors? Are you ashamed of who you are? Do you lie to people to blend in and show them you really are okay? Your life is great. You only drink to socialize, because to do otherwise means you’re an alcoholic, someone who may even serve up those drinks with your favorite drugs. When you look into the mirror, who do you see?
I’ll tell you what you should see. It’s someone who’s a strong survivor. You should see a strength and resiliency that carried you through the years, built by lessons that many couldn’t dream of. But, in all the chaos and pain, you still survived.
You are so much more than a beaten down past living in a confusing present where healthy relationships are foreign. But, you try to understand them. You don’t have to hide your scars though because you aren’t alone. You may feel like you are, but you’re a part of a population that completely understands where you’re coming from.
You are special. You are worthy, and you never deserved to be treated badly. You are more than enough, and when people see the light of who you truly are, it’s downright astonishing! Yesterday is gone. It’s time to let it go cause you can be the one who destroys that circle that’s held your family back for too long. You have a flame that won’t quit, and you have so much to offer this world. Look closer at the reflection in the mirror because you were made to be loved and to show love in its purest form. You deserve nothing less than that.
Our reflections can either show our brokenness or the truth. Though our memories and what we’ve been through may have shaped us into who we are, you can still re-write the script. That’s what survivors do, and make no mistake- you are a survivor. You’re a pattern of brilliant colors painted into an amazing portrait that’s solely you. Yesterday is part of the depth of your character, but it’s not all you have to offer this world. Don’t be afraid. Even one step toward your new life is a step worth taking. It’s your life, and you have every right to take control of it and show the world what you are made of.
