Mirror, Mirror

I attended the Friday Chapel service at my daughter's school today. Why? Because she just turned 11, and because it's already the 3rd to last Friday of this school year and I hadn't been to one since January. Thankfully, she is still willing to sit next to her "old man" instead of her classmates.

The theme of today's service was "Mirror, Mirror" and I was surprised to get more out of it than I expected.

The worship leader and scripture reader touched upon several topics that resonated with me but one of the most powerful questions was "Have you ever been afraid to look in the mirror?"

Full disclosure, for some weird reason, I don't look in mirrors or windows or take (many) selfies. This has been an issue for me for as long as I can remember...dating back to middle school.  I believe it has contributed to a crippling sense of self-worth and confidence that has produced impacts in my personal and professional life.

The service continued to warn against the trappings of our superficial society, warning about the pleasures of the flesh and how meaningless things such as outward appearance are to God. The liturgist/guitarist included a rendition of Colbie Callait's song "Try" which, though from a female perspective, perfectly captured the spirit of the service.

The concluding message was that God loves us for ourselves and that maybe we should see inner selves, accept that our flaws are trivial, and truly love ourselves as well. Which is a message that I must take to heart and work on as well, even at my advanced age.