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Health & Fitness

The Man in the Mirror

I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change

Every so often, you have to reassess your life, and determine what is important, what is not important. You have to decide which people you should keep close to you, which people you should simply disregard. You need to take a good look in the mirror and see what makes you happy, what makes you a better person. How can you help others, and which people can you simply never help? How can you make a difference in your life and help other people be happy? Does helping other people make you a better person or does it at least give you some satisfaction to feel you are making a difference in this world?  

When I was younger, I thought that I could make a big difference in the world. It never really happened, but over the years I have learned that instead of making a big difference, I can make a lot of small differences. One of the reasons I love serving as a public official is to try and help people. Being on the Board of Education and City Council, I have been given the opportunity to help people in a variety of ways. Most of those people have been easy to help because they ask for small things that are "fixable." It is a pleasure to have a person so happy to have their small problems fixed, or to help a parent with their child or a neighbor with their disputes.  

I have spent my whole life trying to help other people in these small ways. When I see a car stalled or stuck in a ditch, I call the police and let them know somebody is in trouble. I often reach up on a shelf in the store to help an elderly person lift something heavy, or load something into their cart, or help them open the door so they can use their walker easier.

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To me, these small things are what make me happy, knowing that I tried to help somebody, or visited a sick person, or attended a wake or funeral. I hear people that are scared of hospitals or funerals or simply cannot find the time or energy to visit the sick. From my own experiences, I know how important it is to have people visit you when you are ill, or attend your parents funeral, or to send a quick text, note, email or phone call just to see if you need anything. It may not seem like much, but it makes all the difference to the person that is sick or lost a loved one.

You remember who was there for you during the crisis, and more importantly, you remember who was not there for you! My logic is that one day we will be sick, or our loved one will be sick and you will need people to be there for you. It takes such a small effort to make that visit, or to send that text.

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I am a firm believer that helping other people makes you a stronger and better person. It is the concept of all 12-step programs, the road to recovery is about helping others deal with the same problems that you are dealing with or have dealt with in the past. Please try to find time in your life to help others, to volunteer at the hospital or the schools or the nursing home. It will make you feel better about yourself, so that when you look in the mirror, you will be happy with the face looking back at you!

I love this poem about the man in the mirror and the song by Michael Jackson that he wrote in reference to this poem. I hope that when you look in your mirror, you see somebody that you can be proud of too! Remember, it is not about making a big difference necessarily, but a lot of small differences!

 

The Man In The Glass            By: Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr.  
    When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father, or mother, or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

He’s the fellow to please – never mind all the rest
For he’s with you, clear to the end
And you’ve passed your most difficult, dangerous test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

Click here: Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror - YouTube

 

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