The mirror is a true friend who tells the truth

‘They see their style in the mirror, and also see that no one is watching.’ The mirror, the face looking in the mirror, the eyes looking in that face and the nature of those eyes – everything becomes clear after listening to this sher by Nizam Rampuri. Nizam sahab, a resident of Rampur, was a Sufi-minded poet, with a soft tone. I don’t know after seeing whom he/she thought of this sher. But, he/she took time to put that thought on paper, that is, the thought was good and serious too. We all are familiar with such people looking in the mirror.

Taking a look at the mirror while walking and judging oneself in that moment is a human habit. We are not aware of it, but this habit has gripped everyone. The shine of the mirror compels us to look at it once. As if some attraction pulls us. But, this is the magic that that attraction is not of the mirror, but of ourselves. Our love for ourselves.

The mirror is a medium to express love towards oneself. No one can love us more than we love ourselves. And no one can accept us in our 100% true form, as much as we ourselves do. The mirror shows us that form and every time in a different way. It reminds us that every person is special and every face is a story in itself. It brings out the truth within us. It shows every blemish, every wrinkle, every color of our face, without hiding or changing anything. It does not know how to sugar coat the reality. Whatever is there is clear and straight, even if it is bitter.

Sometimes it shows us things that we cannot see ourselves. This is where its magic begins. Model Alek Wek, born in South Sudan and now a British citizen, says that knowledge cannot be bought, but you can take a mirror and see knowledge growing in it. That knowledge grows with our experiences, with our age.

The mirror gives a new vision. It shows the shortcomings so that we get inspired to do better. It reveals the qualities so that we gain self-confidence. Even though it is silent, it reveals everything. Its silent language connects directly with the heart. This is the quality of a true friend. A senior said a few days ago that a real friend is one with whom you don’t need to speak anything. In friendship, language has no role, it is of emotions. The mirror passes this test completely. Its silence does not bother us and the mind never gets bored of it. It becomes an equal partner in our happiness and sorrows. It smiles on seeing a smile on our face and gets sad on seeing sadness.

Looking at ourselves in the mirror is bliss because it reminds us of our existence. It tells us who we are, what circumstances we are in and what we can do. By looking at our face in the mirror, we can estimate our limits. And by showing someone the mirror, we can make them aware of their reality. How many times do we try to look inside ourselves? Perhaps very rarely, only when there is no other option. However, the mirror gives us that opportunity every day.

‘Beauty is to gaze at yourself in the mirror for eternity’ – these words of Khalil Gibran explain the real importance of mirror. If there is beauty, then a mirror is needed to appreciate it. Mirror is also needed for improvement. Do not look in a hurry, pause for a while and you can see even the soul in it. And this is the magic of the mirror that it has neither its own soul nor its own body, yet it exists.