Looking at himself in the mirror, the old Jacob tries "to see beyond the sagging flesh." But he claims, "It's no good...I can't find myself anymore. When did I stop being me?" How would you answer this question if someone asked you!?
I guess I have kind of had this happen--sometimes I have caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror or window, and thought, that's not me. I don't know why this happens...not sure if it really has anything to do with what we look like on the outside, or if it has more to do with how we perceive ourselves. I know sometimes when I see a picture of myself, it surprises me because I don't feel that that is how I look; I don't feel that I look that old until I see myself in a picture...it's a hard one. I often wonder how others see me, because I don't think it's the way I see myself.
I often think it would be very interesting to see myself through other people's eyes and really understand how they register what they see, but then I think again and realize I wouldn't like that at all! I think we're all eternally 18 or 21 or whatever in our own minds. We never really feel older...so we catch ourselves off guard sometimes in the mirror when we find that we really are older! Jacob, you never stopped being you! What makes you you has nothing to do with what image looks back in the mirror!
I guess I have kind of had this happen--sometimes I have caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror or window, and thought, that's not me. I don't know why this happens...not sure if it really has anything to do with what we look like on the outside, or if it has more to do with how we perceive ourselves. I know sometimes when I see a picture of myself, it surprises me because I don't feel that that is how I look; I don't feel that I look that old until I see myself in a picture...it's a hard one. I often wonder how others see me, because I don't think it's the way I see myself.
ReplyDeleteI often think it would be very interesting to see myself through other people's eyes and really understand how they register what they see, but then I think again and realize I wouldn't like that at all! I think we're all eternally 18 or 21 or whatever in our own minds. We never really feel older...so we catch ourselves off guard sometimes in the mirror when we find that we really are older! Jacob, you never stopped being you! What makes you you has nothing to do with what image looks back in the mirror!
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