Bicycling on undulating-hilly roads is full of ups and downs, both figuratively and literally. At one point you reach a comfortable summit from where you can breeze downhill for a kilometer without any effort. But you also find yourself face to face with a steep incline, much of which you traverse while pushing your bicycle up the hill.
Today, while pushing my bike uphill, I stopped to catch a breath. Amid the puffing and panting, I saw a consummately weaved spiderweb swaying with the breeze. A bright florescent spider rested at the center of the web, waiting patiently for prey.

Still entranced by the artistry, I wondered,
‘How does the spider know how wonderful its colour is? Most certainly there are no mirrors in its world.’
Yet, a spider works on, not wasting time thinking about what it looks like. Like an artist at work, it labours to leave his signature on its work of art. The web.
Quite the Karma-Yogi.

Even the trees all around me would never know how majestic they are. They just keep on expressing their creativity through their graceful growth, their gift of fruit and shade, free for all beings to enjoy.

Thinking about these beings of nature thriving in a mirror less realm, I couldn’t help but think about another spirit in our human world that displays similar traits.

The spirit of a mother.

While working hard to manage the day at home, she never has time to focus on her appearance. She solely focuses on doing the best job she can for the nourishment and comfort of her family. Most often she wears a disheveled look from all of the day’s work.
But can you think of one child who thinks that his mother is not beautiful?
To any kid, his mother is the most beautiful person on earth.
Why?
Because she speaks of her care through her dedicated work. By all means she is a true artist. Her beauty is beyond any mirror to testify.

I wondered why we are all so obsessed with our physical appearance in this day and age.
What transcends our physicality is our work, our art.
Like a spider weaving a spiderweb,
A tree bearing fruit,
Or a mother cooking with love,
If we choose to express our best selves with our work and derive our esteem from that,
Then we would no longer feel the need of mirrors
For,
We are what we create,
And life is decidedly,
Art.