I have been living in a community for the past 18 months. I still remember that when I was new here, I noticed that there weren’t many mirrors around.
Over time I got used to their absence. And I got used to looking around more rather than looking at myself in a mirror.
In the process, I started noticing things I could change.

All of a sudden, I would find sweeping the alleys worthwhile. I’d find fixes for the tiny problems around the community. Because of the absence of mirrors , the sense of my ‘self’ extended much beyond my physical existence. I felt that the place around me was also a representation of myself. And I started doing things I could to better my surroundings.

I realized that our surroundings mirror our spirit. If we have a clear, compassionate soul, our surroundings both animate and inanimate will bear a reflection of it.

And it is important to realize that the only person looking at us in the mirror is our self. But our surroundings, a reflection of our inner beauty, is open for all to witness.

So, I choose to brush the pavement before I brush my hair.

The mirror can wait.