Thursday 9 January 2014

Look in the Mirror; What do you see.

I had a strange experience recently. My  wife and I (very Royal as usual!) attended the Out Patient department at the hospital recently. It was very busy and we were moved constantly. I finished up prior to being seen in one of two rows in close proximity. Opposite no more than two paces away sat an old lady. Interesting in that she appeared unusual in appearance and gestures, the sort of person that caught the eye. Eventually her name, which I recognised, was called out. I realised immediately I knew the person; I had worked, with the old lady for many years. I was amazed that I had recognised neither her distinctive voice nor her somewhat unusual appearance. And it set me thinking.
    How do we see ourselves. Do I, for instance, see 'Kenny', a young boy; 'Stevo',a dashing teenage gadabout; 'Mr Stevens', a besuited teacher, referred to as 'sir', a model member of the community; or 'old Mr Stevens', who lives at number twenty nine.
    When I see Richard, best man at my wedding, I see the two of us fighting in the school yard, and my mother coming out of the school 'cookhouse' where she prepared the school dinners. (In 1948 she earned £38 8s 9p a year,  for two and a half days a week. The school became short of money. The answer, cut my mother and her cooking colleague' s money; teachers money was not cut.)  I smile a secret smile when I see the matronly ladies of the village we 'young bucks' pursued in our youth. If I meet pupils I taught, I am often greeted with a cheery 'Hello sir.' It is all of twenty five years minimum since I taught, with blind enthusiasm any pupil at the comprehensive school. And I am resigned, but not amused when I am referred to as 'the old lad', granddad or worse. I know, I know, I AM oldish. But don't remind me. (It's true I've started to clean my teeth with E145 on occasion; or is it E45! Plus I made the lousiest cup of coffee yet. No wonder, the coffee grains turned out to be gravy browning. Simple mistakes that anyone could make when the old eyes are not what they were!)
How do I see myself; how do YOU see your self. Possibly more important, how do OTHERS see us
Who are the best people to ask, I wonder. What was it Robert Burns said.
   
    O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us
    To see ousels as others see us.

    The language might be difficult but the message is clear enough. Oh that God would give us the gift of being able to see us as others see us. It would save us from many mistakes in Oh so many ways.

    There was a television programme (Channel 4) this week called Secrets of the Living Dolls. It concerned men who wear full body suits to become fantasy women. Whatever turns you on I suppose (In fact the whole characterisation was not intentionally, overtly sexual.) but the strangest aspect was the latex masks worn by the 'Living Dolls'. Expressionless masks that were hypnotic, almost alien in looks. An interesting aspect of the individuals  who 'Mask' is relevant to my little 'essay'. Concerning men who 'mask', Living Dolls'' do we see, if see is the right word, maskers Charlie, Fred and Bert, or Living Dolls Brenda, Cindy and MaryLou. The world in the 21st Century is at times confusing. If I talk in riddles, no matter. As I said in the introduction, 'Look in the mirror: what do you see.' Me, I'm going for a lie down, my old brains had a hard day!
   







Look in the mirror and what do you see. Do you like what you see

13 comments:

Elliot Sampford said...

Interesting article as usual. When I look in the mirror, as time moves on, I see more of my father.

Valerie said...

I remember my grandmother would never look in a mirror; if she caught her image by accident she almost went into a faint. I'm beginning to feel the same way... grins.

Loved this post, Ken.

Helen Devries said...

I try not to look....

Keith said...

I think my mirror is faulty. Every time I tried to use I just saw an old man looking back at me. I took it back to Mothercare and exchanged it for another, but that one was faulty too. In the end I found a picture of me in my younger years and pasted that over it! Now I see me as I really am; sauve, debonair and a young girls dream. . . .

ADDY said...

When I go shopping and look in the changing room mirrors, everything I wear looks awful! It saves me money, mind.

Bitchy said...

I see amiddle aged women who has laugh lines from laughing to hard some times. Frawn lines from the things that have made me sad and cry. Graying hair from the stress I have survived. ( But I dye those).
But if I look deep into my own eyes I still see the little kid in me who refuses to grow all the way up. I still see the gold bands of color around my eyes that really stands out and almost expands when I am happy. I can still see the scare around my month from the horrible accident that I was to young to remeber and that no one else sees.
I can still see alot of my mother, okay I look like my mother except younger. I still see my gran mothers nose.
Maybe I should step away from the mirror?

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Elliot.

Thanks and what an insightful observation!

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Valerie

We are of the same era are we not! I know the feeling.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Helen
I know the feeling!

Found your last post mesmerising! (My mother in law was French. A marvellous lady. Honest!)

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Keith
Another silly billy, my age group, same ilk! I know the feeling!

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Addy.

Not really. I bet you are still young looking and 'with it'. Daughter will keep you with it no doubt!.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Addy.

Not really. I bet you are still young looking and 'with it'. Daughter will keep you with it no doubt!.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Bitchy

Thoughtful stuff. Clever stuff, 'nature', the repeating of our very being fascinates me. The old 'whats it all about' syndrome.