Some eyes hold Fire, Some hold Oceans
February 05, 2025
We Interpret,
We Imagine,
We Feel,
How does it shape Us?
These days, I’ve been thinking a lot about what we learn from seeing our own reflection.
Everywhere we go—on the streets, in shop windows, restaurants, on the bus, train, or metro—we are constantly confronted with our own image, as well as the reflections of others. But what is this reflection, and how does it shape us?
After a long day at work, I see myself in the glass of the bus—tired and drained. What do I think at that moment? How do I see myself? For me, it’s different every time. Maybe for you, it’s the same, or perhaps completely different. Sometimes, I drift into thoughts about the plans ahead, or I escape into childlike daydreams—imagining myself back in my parents’ home, wondering what I would be doing there now.
But sometimes, even daydreams turn into self-criticism. Ah, my hair is frizzy again. I’ve gained weight. These thoughts create their own kind of art—the art of shaping an image of ourselves, the art of daydreaming about an uncertain future, the art of remembering the past, or even the art of thinking nothing at all. And sometimes, it’s the art of photography—capturing a fleeting moment of seeing oneself, of feeling one’s existence.
Reflections are more than just images; they are encounters with ourselves. In the stillness of glass, in the rain-streaked windows of a city bus, we see who we are, who we were, and who we wish to be. Some reflections hold memories; others carry aspirations. They remind us of change, of imperfection, of beauty in the unexpected.
We do not merely see—we interpret, we imagine, we feel. A reflection is never just a surface; it is a conversation, a fleeting dialogue between the self and the world.
So, next time you catch your reflection in a window, pause. Look beyond the surface. What do you see? And more importantly, what does it reveal about you?