Five Minute Friday: When I look into the mirror I see...

A few days ago I discovered Gypsy Mama and her Five Minute Fridays link-up. You write for 5 minutes on a topic she provides, then share your post on her linky-share thing. :)  I'm probably cheating by writing this part out before my five minutes, but I must say that I picked a DOOZY (how does one spell that word, anyway?) of a topic to start with for me.  Mirrors? UGH. For oh SO many reasons.

OK...GO:

Mirrors.

I hate mirrors. And I don't think that's too strong a word.  I always have hated mirrors, even in those growing up days when I spent too much time looking at myself in one.

These days I see my middle aged self truly looking her age, or older.  I was always told I "look so young" but now I look in the mirror and see the lines and grays that show I am all of my 42 years and then some.

I don't mind the gray hairs, actually. I do mind the wrinkles.  They are not happy wrinkles.

I see my bloodshot eyes, the crooked teeth that tell of a wasted $3000 on orthodontia that my parents didn't have to spare...but seriously, is a woman supposed to wear a retainer until she is 40?  I guess so.

My skin is more teenager-y than 40-something.  Always the bane of my existence, my skin, with its birthmarks, acne...now wrinkles and an ugly scar from skin-cancer surgery smack dab in the middle of my nose.

The worst part of the mirror, however, is looking at myself and always seeing a stranger look back.  The eyes that should reflect back 100 generations and mark me as part of something bigger than myself, prove me an alien in a foreign world thanks to my adoption.

OK, 5 minutes up. Good timing too, my 3yo - with the eyes that turn down just like mine do (I can't get ENOUGH of looking at him) just came inside wet from the waist down because he likes being outside more than he likes coming in to use the bathroom, lol.

For more Five Minute Friday posts, please visit Gypsy Mama!