Articles: The Face In The Glass

The Face in the Glass

by Charles K.

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The Face In The Glass
When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to a mirror and look at yourself
And see what THAT face has to say.
For it isn't your father or mother or spouse
Whose judgment upon you must pass;
The person whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.
Some people might think you are a straight-shootin' chum
And call you a wonderful guy or gal,
But the face in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look it straight in the eye.
That's the one you must please, never mind all the rest,
For that's the one with you clear up to the end.
And you know you have passed your most dangerous test
If the face in the glass is your friend.
You may fool the whole world down the pathway of life
And get pats on your back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you've cheated the face in the glass.
~ Dale Wimbrow ~
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Well, for me, this poem has proven that being true to oneself is the real Key to Joy and Happiness.
 
I would like to tell you how this poem has affected my life and perhaps can do the same for yours.
 
I found this Poem several years ago and after reading through it, I realized a couple of things.
 
I don’t think I’ve actually made that many mistakes in my life. I finished High School, went on to get a Degree or two and worked some pretty steady and good paying jobs.
 
I’ve always been courteous, honest and respectful of others. Helped out when I could and asked for help when I needed it. I always try to go the extra mile.
 
But, for some funny reason, when asked what I would rather be doing, I always have an answer different from what I am doing.
 Why is that? Should I be doing something different?
 
I grabbed a mirror and looked square into the Face in the Glass and asked “What would you rather be doing? Where would you rather be?”
 
I knew that, while I didn’t feel that I was doing anything wrong, in years to come, I would regret not having done things differently!
 
I learned this from The Face in the Glass…
 
A few years have passed and I have changed my ways drastically. I still hold my values high and treat others as I would like to be treated, sometimes even better…
 
I certainly have not achieved all I want to, and I am still not in my ideal location. However, the fact that I am actually moving towards that goal gives me strength and an endless source of motivation and inspiration.
 
I will confess that these past years have been very challenging. Doing what you want to do is often times not the easiest thing to do.
 
Why is it then, when asked now what I would rather be doing, I am hard-pressed to find an answer other than “nothing”.
 
The Face in the Glass is pleased with me. After all, he is the only one I will have to face in the end.