till we have faces

“I bid him look into the lives of men as though into a mirror,
and from others to take an example for himself.”
Terence (185 B.C. - 159 B.C.)

While my eyes have feasted today on reflections in others' mirrors, my soul has feasted ever more deeply on those others' Words.  Lelly's challenge this week: "take a picture of yourself in the mirror. any mirror will do. now, take a really good look at yourself. try to see your image as others around you see it. bring to mind something kind or unusual that a friend has noticed about your recently. can you see what they see? will you tell us about it??"

A busy day, I snapped trial shots here & there, delete, delete...read other people's posts here & there...flurried through the busy with much of *wonder* to digest. How do we see ourselves? How do others see us? How does our Creator see us?  How did I get thrown into this amazing bunch of women who reflect so so many traits I want to emulate?   I look into their lives as though into a mirror, and from them take examples for myself.  Thank you, Terence from long ago, B.C.  I do take examples, and not just random, feel-good vaguery.  Pertinent, Real stuff for the here & now.

 

"We should be a mirror of being: we are God in miniature."
Friedrich Nietzsche

I believe this statement.  I saw it vividly in my picture visits today.  I see that Holiness in my neighbors, my friends,  perfect strangers.  Why oh why is it so much harder to witness that divine spark in myself?  I feel it, Yes, and often.  But so so hard to see with mirror upheld.  Each picture I clicked serruptitiously was quickly criticized then erased. 

Jill's Great Divorce entry last week took me to my shelves to unlodge C.S. Lewis's "The Weight of Glory".  Some of my favorite lines ever: 

It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics.

There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilization – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendours.

This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have from the outset, taken each other seriously – no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption. And our charity must be a real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinner – no mere tolerance or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment.

Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbour is the holiest object presented to your senses. If he is your Christian neighbour he is holy in almost the same way, for in him also Christ vere latitat – the glorifier and the glorified, Glory Himself, is truly hidden.

I've always loved, recited these words, but today I'm awed by the fact that they mean Me.  Glory Himself is hidden within.  I want to reflect it for Others, yes.  But, I also want it to astound me in my own mirror image.  There are no ordinary people...Everlasting Splendours.

 

after many attempts, I settled for a blurred face.  splendour tomorrow.   

Comments

[Annalisa]

Amy this is beautiful (and not just because you have such a nice big kitchen!) It is so easy to see the divine, the beautiful in others but hard to find it in ourselves. How many pictures did I delete? Too many to count. Too critical of myself I disregard much of my own value.

[Michelle]

Amy, I loved reading your post. You are wonderful with your words. Cute portrait. I also hit the delete button quite a few times. :)

[Mandy]

I think I ended up taking over 20 pictures. It was frustrating and I kept seeking the perfect picture, only to find there was no perfect picture.

I love your pictures and the beautiful words that accompanied them.

[Megan]

I LOVE C.S. Lewis, the quote was amazing. When I read this I kept remembering Nelson Mandela's famous quote from his inagural speech. Is it our deepest fears that we are powerful beyond measure that keeps us insecure and negative about ourselves? I've struggled with low self-esteem my whole life, but recently I'm tired of it. Why do women continue to put themselves down, if we all loved ourselves the way God did, what kind of difference and positive influence could we be and make in others? Reading your post made me realize that I'm fed up with my own self-hate and self mutilation that has taken many forms in my life. I'm ready to embrace myself. I want to teach my children to love themselves and I don't want to pass down my fear and insecurity to another generation.
And I totally just went off there. Anyway, I love you Amy, and I'm continually impressed with how beautiful and amazing you are.

[lelly]

“I bid him look into the lives of men as though into a mirror,
and from others to take an example for himself.”
Terence (185 B.C. - 159 B.C.)

i almost used this quote in my post, because it sums up how i have been feeling about this blogosphere lately. i am getting so much... so much MORE than i think i even anticipated. seeing others - no, really LOOKING at others, i am seeing so much more in me.

[Jordan]

There are no ordinary people...you have never talked to a mere mortal...these words have rung truer since discovering the delightful world of blogging. Thanks for the reminder.

[Kelly]

I did not wait up, after all. 11:49? :) My book was calling, and then sleep came soon after. But, this was the first thing I checked this morning. I'm so glad you figured out the lightning bolt, and did it! I loved all the quotes you shared, and your own thoughts were just as poignant and beautiful. A wonderful reminder, and a wonderful way to start the day.

I hope traffic court is enjoyable in some small way today. ugh.

[Price Cream Parlor]

Your thoughts on this challenge were beautiful! Just as you are! Thanks for sharing!

[amy m]

I loved your thoughts on this and that you shared the pages of CS Lewis, really gives us a lot to think about. We are indeed children of God and his glory is in us. How wonderful it would be if we could all live our life to reflect this gift he has given us.

[carlo]

so glad to "see" you took the challenge! :) i love your shots, even though you did not think they were perfect!

[Jill]

What a fantastic post. I adore C.S. Lewis and those quotes are amazing. I'm familiar with them and am wondering if they're used in The Screwtape Letters also or if I'm just morphing his words in my mind (probably am). It's comforting and humbling to think of there being no ordinary people!

[Mandi]

That's one of my all-time favorite CS Lewis quotes -- second only to his quote about Christ and temptation - have you read that one? I'll show it to you when I'm your NEIGHBOR! Thanks for the reminder of how everyone is important and special.

[rebecca]

Amy, I so enjoyed your thoughtful words today. They have truly sparked something in me. It is, indeed, a "serious thing" to interact with each other in ways that respect our individuality and possibility and beauty and brilliance and divinity. And ourselves. Do we also hold this sacred promise? I would love to be a "mirror of being."
Thank you for this today!

[Barb]

O.K. you are now my official online english course. You offer rich words and always point me down the road of introspection.

[crystalyn]

you are an amazing writer! i love the c.s. lewis...how true his point is. wouldn't it be amazing to have a glimpse at who we all really are. it might be too overwhelming. thank you for sharing such lovely and thought provoking words.