I had the pleasure of meeting Nicole of By Word of Mouth Musings at BlogHer last year. I first fell in love with her South African accent and then her heart.
This woman does it all and then some; she is a mother, wife, blogger, home schooler and is one of the kindest, most thoughtful people in the blogosphere. If you haven’t read any of her posts yet, please start with this one: The Green-Eyed Monster, it will tell everything you need to know about this amazing woman.
I am proud to have Nichole here today.
Dear Face in the Mirror,
We should talk about this life we share.
I have looked at you more than a million times, or yes, I will admit, even harshly examined. Sometimes you smile back at me, sometimes you look as though I caught you unawares. Some days you look like you could do with a nap – or a facelift. There are days I try to ignore you and then there are days that I scrutinize each and every part of you. Those are also the days I tend to be thankful for my failing eyesight, the image is not as brutal. Sadly, I have been unkind to you over the years and the damage cannot be undone. I realise its way too late for apologies.
Some days you surprise me when I catch you looking back at me. I see you, and without fail I seek out the lines that crease around your eyes. Eyes sparkling, but some days – a hint of sadness. It is said that your eyes are the window to your soul. As I look into them, what do I see? What stories do they tell?
The face I see, a mouth that smiles, a smile that travels to those eyes. My Mother once told me that I should be proud of the little crinkles earned… they tell of laughter and joy. A life lived with happiness. Not wrinkles to be lamented, but to rejoice in for they show the delight and sheer elation of a life lived. Blessed with a family, gorgeous children who fulfill life’s promise, and friends near and dear.
I trust that as years go by I will see wisdom and kindness, that there will always be a hint of a smile and a glint of whimsy. We will deliberate our passage and we will continue this road together, doing our utmost to approach the inevitable changes with grace. Rather like a star of time immemorial, elegant brow raised, contemplating the future – maybe we will even wear purple.
All good things indeed, but first, I must learn to love you. Flaws and all. And decide which one of us will be the reflection of the other.
With hope (and love) – Nicole xxx
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Tonya, an honor indeed to be a guest in your bloghome. Thank you so much for the invitation, and for your very kind words. It really is a pleasure to be here !
Well first of all you are gorgeous. I hope to have great conversations with myself in the mirror in upcoming years too. So far I’m not thrilled with what’s happening to my butt though. I have a few choice words for it.
Thank you for the compliment sweet thing!
Yes, my reflection and I have had a few brutally honest chats, plastic surgery was vetoed and we went with bangs instead of botox 😉
You, are surely beautiful top to ‘tail’.
xxx
That is beautiful and honest. It is a powerful thing to look in the mirror and really see yourself. You capture the emotion of it perfectly.
To really see oneself, you have to look deep within too. I tell my girls that your inner beauty will outshine all. I am hoping that works its charm, and if I try my best to live a very good life, then that ‘shine’ will blur the wrinkles 😉
I try to see the inner beauty but some days it’s HARD. I hope that as time goes on it gets easier.
Usually we are our own worst enemies, so quick to judge and find fault … I wonder if we simply embrace age as we age down the road – maybe being a grandma is an acceptable stage of old for me 😉
My dear sweet friend, you are gorgeous, both inside & out. You musn’t be too hard on yourself. Find your joy & that is all you will see.
xoxo
Find your joy – just the most important part of all xxx
Oh my, is this ever important. And lovely. And perfection.
xo
Thank you indeed, it is really a struggle for me and raising girls one I need to watch my tongue with …
So honest and beautiful. Just like you! 🙂
Lovely to see you here Susi … and thank you, that taking a cold hard look at yourself can be a tough one!
Loved this letter.
I have the same thoughts about the “crinkles” around the eyes, mostly because as just 32 I already have them…and also because although my life has been filled with many “downs”….I’ve had so many more “ups”. Those crinkles are not only earned but deserved. 🙂
Beautiful letter, beautiful face.
Enjoy your week.
Its true, the ups and the downs. We appreciate the good times since we have comparisons …. and funnily the ups create smiles which use more muscles and probably make more ‘crinkles’ 😉
I won’t let myself go there… stare, find myself, accept, and love me for me and to see the sparkle in my own eye. I hope to get there. Your words have inspired me to do so.
You will find the sparkle – look close, give yourself a smile. You deserve one!
Oh, Nicole, you are simply stunning! It is so hard to love ourselves, to see the things that others find so lovable and beautiful. Your post touched my heart today. Thank you.
Hello oh lovely one with the gorgeous child … so sweet of you to visit me here. And thank you, we always love ourselves the least, well, unless you are Lady Gaga or something – and even she puts on a mask 😉
Fabulous post. It’s hard to look in the mirror, and you captured it well.
I absolutely love this photo of you, you look so great.
I might have to ‘steal’ your haircut!
and I cut a little more off every single time I head into the bathroom – these three way mirrors and I! Its now supershort in the back …
and also, thank you for your lovely words, it is hard. I struggle with it, a lot.
This is just so beautifully written. Not half as stunning as the author though. You are GORGEOUS inside and out.
We are our own worst critics aren’t we? I’m not a big fan of what I see in the mirror these days. But I hope for a day where I will look in the mirror and say “lookin good girly”
Do you see that glow? That is me blushing 😉
So true, we critique ourselves to the ends of the Earth and always find ourselves lacking – silly and wrong.
Hey btw, I saw your latest avatar and must say ‘lookin good girly’ xxx
Nicole, you are Gorgeous inside and out. I would love to sit and talk and look at you for hours never seeing a flaw.
But it’s an important letter, an important way to look at our lives and faces after infertility, loss, happiness and even 40. 😉 Yet you do it so well, you light up the blog world and you make me smile….always. Love you and all you represent and REFLECT xoxoox
Oh sweet Kir, how dear you are to my heart my lovely friend. Your words always like a hug, an embrace of an old friend, such comfort.
You and I – soon xxx
Beautiful post Nicole! Just like the author!!
Thank you so very much Tracy – from such a gifted writer like yourself … high accolades indeed.
See YOU in a few sleeps my dear – cannot wait!
Oh sweet Nicole, you are so beautiful, inside and out and I just love this letter. You are inspiring me to love myself, flaws and all. xo
It is friends out here in the blogosphere who have ‘inspired’ me the most – to reach out, and to reach within!
Thank you xxx
You do need to love that face in the mirror because I do.
Oh Jess, that means so much. You are so very dear to me xxx
Oh, beautiful friend! I hope you see more whimsy than flaws the next time you look in the mirror. Your heart is too lovely for you not to see it in your reflection.
Such a lovely comment dear Angela, thank you, you made my heart smile … which, by the way, I hope has lots of crinkles from smiling 😉
this is simply beautiful. just. like. YOU.
powerful stuff here!