Mirror, Mirror

Written by Random Magus
Translated by Bridge Shoreline

Original text:
I have often wondered if when we see our face in the mirror it is the same face other people see when they look at us. Of course there will be some correspondence or similarity between what I see myself as and the what others see me as...but I wonder how much?

If the phrase 'Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder' is true than I wonder how big the difference would be.

Sometimes when you think you are not exactly looking your best [euphemism for pretty darned awful] you'll end up getting get compliments and think to yourself, 'huh really?' or 'wonder what he/she wants'. And when you think you're looking good someone will ask, 'What's the matter, you look pulled down'. And all you can do is smile inanely...

And not only that, aren't there days when you seem different to even your own self, some days you like what you see in the mirror and then there are days that you want to break the damn mirror...

Of course it's not our face that changes [its a different story if a zit shows up unannounced and unwanted] but our brain/mind whatever the jargon you want to use, tricks us.

And then of course there is the 'why now?' phenomenon... have you noticed how everything looks perfect when you are just about to go to bed.. hair is shiny, skin's glowing ... but fast forward to when you want to dazzle on a special evening... no matter what you do nothing seems to work. Probably that's something to do with expectations... I have found everything in life turns out the most fabulous when your expectations are really low!

I am sure you have said many a times or thought many times that someone thinks they are better looking than they really are..but perhaps they see themselves that way and its not an act.
What if we appeared slightly different to everyone that saw us?

Wouldn't it be fascinating if we could have alternate views of ourselves [without the help of psychogenics ideally] and be able to see what others see when they look at our face?

I really would love to see myself through someone else's eyes...physically. Because the only way we see ourself is through a mirror or a photograph... not the way others see us. Not truthfully! Mirrors can lie and so can photographs!

Actually it's a pretty funny thought that others might have more of an accurate picture of what we look like than we do ourselves... because come to think of it we only see reproductions of our face. Second generation information.

So wouldn't you like to see yourself through someone else's eyes??? Literally!!!



My translation:

我总是在想，在我们照镜子时看到的脸是不是别人看到的同一张脸。 当然自己看自己和别人看自己都是看自己，感觉肯定是相似的，但是到底有多相似呢？

假如“风动幡动仁者心动，嗤妍美丑决乎一心”是真的，我想知道我在你心里的倒影和镜子里我有多大的不同。

有时候在我自以为我不修边幅（一塌糊涂的委婉表达）的时候，我打断别人对我外表的恭维，心里说“真的假的这样也好看？”或者“小样乱拍马匹到底想从偶这里骗走啥？” 有的时候，我自以为酷掰了的时候，有小样的却说“啊呀呀，你今天的外形真是猥琐啊。” 这是，只好报之无奈的傻笑，算你狠，偶服了……

还有呢，有的时候我连在自己的眼睛里面都是不一样的，有时候，照着镜子傻笑好似猪八戒照镜子越看越喜欢，有时候看见镜子良心发现几乎要羞愧地飞去韩国整容。

显然，改变的不是我们的脸（长痘痘的突发事件另算），改变的是我们的想法/心智，我不知道到底该用哪个天杀的精神科的术语。

对着镜子里面的自己，困惑越来越多。你有没有注意到你轻松愉快地洗完澡无忧无虑准备睡觉时，头发光泽闪耀，皮肤热力四散……在为了参加晚宴坐在梳妆台前殚精竭虑地想光彩照人时，可怜，不管多名贵的胭脂，都模拟不出你16岁时不施脂粉的微笑。 可能一些不切实际的期望不得不被放弃…… 我发现很多时候退一步会开阔天空。

我知道，你说过好多次了或者一直在认为，很多人过高估计了自己的容貌，不过也许这种估计只是心里的隐秘期盼而不会带来麻烦。
我们真的在每个人眼里都有一个不一样的自己？

要是我们能用不同的视角观看自己（完全不使用精神科医生的小把戏），而且能够知道我们在别人眼里的样子，这岂不是很棒？

我真的很想用别人的眼睛看看自己。 可是我只能对着镜子或者照片审视自己。 这不是真的！ 镜子会说谎，照片爱骗人。

事实上，因为我们只能看到自己的脸的复制品——镜子或者照片里的影像，所以能够真正观看我的本尊的旁人眼里的我的印像，也许才是真正准确的。 复制品总是不如本尊可靠。

你想不想用别人的眼睛看看自己？ 真的，你想不想？