Looking in the Mirror

The second of Frederick Buechner's Lenten questions is a bit of an odd one: "When you look at your face in the mirror, what do you see in it that you most like, and what do you see in it that you most deplore?"

I guess the answer to the first question is smiley eyes. The answer to the second is, I suppose, my somewhat irregular nose (the product of years of thumb-sucking as a child). But to be honest, I don't spend very much time either looking in the mirror or worrying about what other people think when they look at me. I am too old and (blessedly) at peace with myself to bother. Apart from a regular skin care regime, what you see is what you get.

If I had been answering this question twenty years ago, I would have been obsessing about minor imperfections. These days, not so much. I am well aware that I am a little overweight, and that I could do with getting more exercise (and eating less chocolate) but I cannot bring myself to care that much. So long as my body does what I ask of her, and is not in pain, all is well. I am so thankful that she is healthy.

I am me - a "unique, precious, child of God" to quote the Quakers, wife of 42+ years in a strong and happy marriage, mother of two wonderful grown-up children, and Nannie to three gorgeous boys. I am also a Unitarian minister and a published author, a crocheter and a stitcher. Yesterday was my 66th birthday. I retired from employment as District Minister of the Midland Unitarian Association, and the future stretches out in front of me.  In comparison to all that glory and good fortune, what do my looks matter?