"The Mirror or The Window"

The Mirror or the Window

"Mirror, mirror on the wall…"

Just as the queen's mirror magnified her self-absorption, so it does with us. When we look at the world through a mirror, it magnifies our innate selfishness, the place of self-centeredness that wants to be worshiped and adored.

Sad to say, many parents lead their children to the mirror by telling their kids through words and showing them in actions that "It's all about you." In their desire to give their children what the experts say kids need—self-esteem—parents often hand children a mirror as soon as they are born. In their desire to make their kids "happy," many parents smother their children with attention, lavish gifts for every "A," and tell them they can be anything they want to be, do anything they want to do, and have anything they want to have. Out of a desire to help their children feel good about themselves, parents create 'aristobrats' who expect the world to serve them.

Children who live in the mirror only see themselves and no one else. They can't see others and they can't see others looking at them.

But what if we put the mirrors down? What if we help children see beyond themselves? What if we lead our children to the window? When children look through the window at the world beyond, their own image is reflected back to them in the glass, but it's in the appropriate context, as part of the world, not the center
of the world. Viewing the world through the window, children focus on others, how others feel and
what others need.

Through the window children grow up understanding they were put here to serve, not to be served.

Which will you choose…the mirror or the window?