We can stand in front of a mirror brushing or combing hair, massaging or working in gel, and (usually women) applying make-up.  We can picture beauty or attractiveness in our minds ...and try to duplicate what we imagine by what we perceive ourselves to be, or want to be. 

We may also practice smiling.

Or we can stand in front of a mirror ...and suddenly rough-up our hair, and frown.  We can imagine what others may think if they see us sad.  We may even see the mirror as a testing ground of how good we are at depicting these various emotions ...conducting our own audition.  We pay close attention to whether others respond the way we would like them to.

Or we can just be silly, and either primp or clown ...and take countless selfies, perhaps downloading them to Facebook to see how many 'like's we can get.

Back to mirrors ...did you ever notice that when you look into a mirror and raise your right hand, your reflection raises its left hand?

Kind of reminds me of the Bible verse, " ...there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?"  (I don't think the point was that the cattle don't know left from right ...that's the reason why they've always had cattle prods and cattle drives, for us to direct them. They don't seem to know too well to stay away from Locoweed either.)

Well, before you think I'm 'loco' ...that last reference was from the Book of Jonah.  There is also a reference in Matthew 6:3, which reads, "...when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing."   It seems like it's kind of saying that if you don't do that, you may be bringing attention to yourself ...like blowing your own horn.  

It's been said that life is but a stage ...but it's not. And it's also not just scenes, movie frames, or snapshots.  And though it may be fun, and doing no harm ...it's also more than talking a ...'selfie'.

I guess there are some good things about allowing other people to know about our mood.  We are more likely to get help if we ask for it.  On the other hand, maybe it's not so much help, but support or acknowledgment we seek.  It depends on what we want support for, or to what extent we will go to be acknowledged.  Figuratively speaking, the jury is still out, as to the benefit or harm of certain venues such as Facebook.  There is both good and bad in most everything, and though it may be good to connect with certain people, it is problematic with others.

Yes, there is always good and bad ...and the good will use the opportunity to do good, while there will certainly be those who are self-serving opportunists who prey on those who are likewise unstable in a multiplicity of ways, and it is often easy to discern who can be easily influenced.  It almost seems like a race sometimes, to see who will reach the vulnerable first.

We often perceive ourselves as we are taught to.  And it goes further than that too ...to also perceive others as we are led to. There is much influence, sway, and wayward thinking that is shared.  Sadly, the negative emotions move many people to action quicker than the caring emotions.  The latter often settles for a friend or two watching a good movie ...and it seems to suffice.  While the negative emotions seem to fester, simmer, and often come to a boil ...seldom satisfied, until scalding someone.

Let's look at some mirrors in cartoons ...particularly, Walt Disney cartoons.

A few come to mind:

Alice in Wonderland, or Alice Through the Looking Glass:

We often look at things backwards, or upside down.  Much depends upon the glass we are looking into.  First Corinthians, Chapter 13:11-12, says, "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became an adult, I put away childish things.  For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face ..."

Beauty and the Beast:

Often we don't like the image we see, or we see someone else who doesn't like what they see in themselves.  At this point, it's all about how we react or deal with those feelings.  

What we choose to do about it can be either constructive or destructive. There are many opposite approaches in life. For one, we can either be a grouch ...or a Groucho, and make people cry or make them laugh.  In doing so, it's not always a good outcome for ourselves to hide behind a character who we really are not.  Yet, if we are struggling inside, it is not always good to recklessly open up either ...unless there is a stable environment to do so.  Some people need a counselor, and others just need a good friend. 

How we reflect upon others can change ...for the good, or for the bad.  I would propose we do it for the good.

Snow White:

There are many destructive ways we can look at things ...and comparison is often one of the most destructive.
:
Bambi:

When we look at ourselves, we should always be mindful that there is someone else who is always near ...and what we see in ourselves affects others too.  We can see our reflection in many things, but how about seeing ourselves as Jesus would have us see ourselves ...and others??  If we think no one is near, we are wrong ...as Jesus is always near.

Jesus said, " ...but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."   (The Gospel According to John 4:14)

Perhaps it would be good for you and me ...to take time to reflect on that vitally important truth.