P52 Week 40 -- Reflection

The first thing that came to mind with the prompt of “reflection” was the slapstick song from Funny Girl “His love makes me beautiful” in which Fanny – played brilliantly by Barbra Streisand – cavorts about the stage as a very pregnant bride in her Zeigfield Follies singing debut:

I am the beautiful reflection
Of my love's affection
A walking illustration
Of his adoration
His love makes me beautiful
So beautiful

Several other associations with the prompt came to mind: I reflect my background certainly; I mirror my parents and siblings, the good and the bad; I reflect my relationships, my lovers, my work and spiritual life, and my environment; my body reflects what I eat and how much I workout.

I am in awe that I am both reflected in and am a reflection of my children.

But I can’t shake that nutty scene in Fanny and that silly song keeps buzzing in my brain. Maybe I am drawn to Funny Girl because she grokked that she was in no way a classic beauty. Moreover, she had the moxie to hilariously act out her acknowledgement on stage.

When it comes to my own features, I have contrasting reactions. Occasionally, I look in the mirror and I think – you look rather pretty today. Other times – more often times – I look aghast at my reflection – the wan visage, the jowls, the permanent frown etched in my wrinkles. Do I have Fanny’s spunk, enough to twist my disheartening aged reflection into humorous acceptance – or at least resignation?

When it came to aging, my mother had Funny Girl’s pluck. She joked about looking in the mirror and wondering, “Who on earth is this old hag?” She was able to lighten up and chuckle about her aging process.

Maybe I, too, can learn to reflect my mother’s humor and lightness when I see my reflection in the mirror.