When I look in the mirror…

When I look in the mirror, I see lines 
  Frown lines 
  Laugh lines 
  Furrowed brow lines 
  50 years of “life” lines 
They say more than meets the eye 
They talk of love, connection, sorrow, fretfulness 
Fleeting moments that endure well past its moment in time 

It’s hard to look at myself in the eye 
To truly gaze upon the depths of what is beyond the blue irises 
I’ve been told that one of my pupils is larger than another 
I see an ophthalmologist about that  

Look! See – I’ve just done it.  
I just dodged in real time the call to look beyond the blue. 
To see what lies under the surface 
Into the heart, into the gut, into the spirit 

The spirit that wants to be seen – and also wants to hide. 
The paradox of life. One of many. 
And actually, maybe not. 
Because to be truly seen is to be truly loved. Without expectation. 

The lines that travel across the face tell tales of being known. 

Like with good friends.
Like the ones who just left. 
They boarded a plane last night. 
Back to Australia.
I won’t see them again for a very long time. 

Those friends are impressed upon those lines 
And will remain 
Well past the moments we were together.