Mirror

I look in the mirror

I see late nights early mornings

I see messy hair because I didn’t have time to get entirely ready before class

I see eyes that paid for experience with youthful ignorance
I see someone who is still figuring out where they want to go, but knows they have a long way to get there

I look in the mirror

No longer do I see the kid who blamed others for his mistakes

No longer do I see the swaggering bravado, but rather a calm confidence

No longer do I see a naive little boy

No longer do I see a victim

I look in the mirror

I see someone choosing between giving up and  pushing on despite life’s challenges

One last time I look in the mirror

I see a toothy grin

I see a person saying the words “I got this”

I see someone whose been knocked down but has chosen to get back up

I see someone leaving to take on the world