April 16, 2001
FAMILY MATTERS:
A lesson for growing up: Mirrors lie
___I hate the way I look. My family and friends tell me that I'm pretty, but that's not what I see when I look in the mirror. The mirror tells me that I'm fat and ugly. What can I do to feel better about the way I look?
___A Sometimes I learn some pretty important things in fairy tales. Guess what I
learned by reading Snow White? Mirrors lie! The mirrors we gaze in aren't magic talking mirrors, but many times what is communicated in their reflection is not the truth.
DEBBIE CHISOLM
Minister to Students
Royal Lane Baptist Church, Dallas
___Our minds have a way of distorting what we see. We have a small blemish on the side of our nose. We know it's small because everyone we've asked, including the cat, says it can barely be seen. But when we look in the mirror, all we can see is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
___The best way to prevent mirrors from lying is to stop looking into mirrors. But since that's impossible, there are other things that will help.
___How blessed you are to have family and friends who tell you you're pretty! It sounds like you're getting positive messages from the significant people around you.
___The negative message you're receiving really isn't coming from your mirror. It's coming from inside you.
___We say things to ourselves all the time, and we aren't as kind as we should be. On any given day, we can tell ourselves that we're stupid, clumsy, fat and ugly without ever realizing it.
___Put a note card in your pocket, and for 24 hours record how many times you tell yourself you're fat and ugly. You probably will be surprised at the number. Once you're aware of how often you say that to yourself, then you can begin to change the message.
___Think back over the past month and try to remember a time when you didn't feel fat and ugly. What were you doing? Is that something you could do more often? Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, grains and lean meat that won't leave you feeling sluggish. Spend time outdoors and walk, dance, jog, jump-- whatever you enjoy that keeps your lungs and heart pumping strongly.
___But most importantly, listen to your family and friends and don't forget--mirrors lie!
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