Through the looking glass...

I was about 5 when I sat on my Mum's bed and got comfortable. I was facing the dressing table mirror. The dressing table was nice, it was wooden with lots of drawers and secret places for jewellery, perfume and make up.

I wasn't in the mood to play
I was being 'quietly'.

I looked at myself in the mirror
Considered the length and style (pony tail) of my hair

I thought about my bottle green uniform
(that I hadn't taken off yet)
The size and shape of my shoes
Features of my face

I stared intently for so long that
I noticed my vision was blurring
The edges of the room
(my peripheral vision)
Were merging into a cloudness

I focused on me
I remained a clear image

While I looked I watched my expression

Because it was starting to change

I checked my feelings
Noticed that I felt strangely happy
Like something really good was about to happen

I wondered what it was or might be

While I was wondering what the meal was that my Mother was preparing (and I attempted to identify each individual contribution to the aroma wafting upstairs from the kitchen)....


The clouds in the mirror around me began slowly to change shape


I looked at my expression again

and remembered to close my mouth because Mum said,
"You'll catch something like that!"

Faces appeared from the mists of the mirror

I counted

There were four

They seemed to speak

In fact

They were all smiling and laughing

They'd come to speak to me

I wondered who they were

I felt that .... somehow.... strangely.....

They were my children...

They were explaining....