Leggings

This reflection is about more than just my legs.

While at a leggings party, I looked in the mirror and said, "this is an awesome mirror - it makes my legs look great!"  My friend looked at me and said, "You kind of just have great legs all the time."  I was genuinely surprised:  I had thought it was a a trick of the glass.

But then I realized I don't have a single full length mirror in my home.  I can't see past my waist (or, on a particularly adventurous day when I go on my tiptoes, two inches below my waist).  When I look in the mirror I see my tired face, my chest that is not my own thanks to breastfeeding,  and I can't miss the mid section that is healing so, so slowly with physiotherapy.  I see what is close and messy.

And I thought: isn't this a metaphor for my life?  I look around my house and see the mess of Lego, the dirty dishes and laundry, the crooked doormat and I think I'm falling apart.  If only I would stop, scan out a little and look at the big picture, I might realize that things are actually going pretty well.  We have jobs, the kids are healthy, and we get to see our extended family regularly.  I am so mindful of these good things, but if I succeed in framing it long and wide 100 times a day, than I fail 101 times.

So what do I do?  I'll just keep wearing leggings and invest in a full length mirror.  And hope that my I legs look so good that I don't notice the smudged little finger prints.