text: I often wonder what others think of me and, whenever I do, it makes me feel anxious. It’s sort of a sinking feeling, where you slowly drown in your insecurities. The best way to avoid this feeling is to be like others because if they see themselves in you, they won’t judge you. I decided to buy a mirror and hang it around my neck so, whenever I meet somebody, they will see themselves. At first the mirror felt uncomfortable but, sort of like glasses, after a while I didn’t even feel it anymore. Almost immediately, my life changed! At parties people actually started speaking to me and those who used to ignore me now wanted to talk to me. Many of these people were also wearing mirrors, and this made me feel more comfortable. I guess I saw myself in them. They reflected my opinions, my taste in clothing, and my sense of humor, and I reflected theirs. “It’s so awesome hanging out with you man,” Andrew excitedly remarked, “we should do this more often!” I’ve known him for a while, however in recent months our friendship suddenly rekindled. We attended many more parties together. One evening, Andrew, myself and a few others were enjoying a few drinks when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a childhood friend entering the bar alone. “Oh my god, I haven’t seen him in so long! That kid is the biggest weirdo ever!” My friend’s remark were followed by laughter, however I didn’t join in. I wanted to go over and say hi, but the weight of my mirror didn’t allow me to move. I wanted to tell my new friends he is a good person, but my mirror prevented me from speaking my mind. I hated this mirror, but I was afraid that if I removed it, I’d be alone again. I wanted to cry right then and there, but my mirror wouldn’t let me. The mirror was getting so heavy I was barely able to stand, so I told the mirror gang “ I’ve got to go home.” I walked outside when, suddenly, I was blindsided by a loud, rambunctious laughter. It was a laughter so pure, it brought me back to my childhood days, when I could laugh for hours without any reason. It brought me back to the days where the joy that created the universe emanated through my eyes and smile. But, although the laughter was so close to me, it couldn’t have been further away from my soul. As I was staring at this group of light hearted adults, something struck me as incredibly odd. It wasn’t that they were all dressed, or acted differently. It was that none of them had a mirror dangling from their necks. One of them connected with my eyes before I could shyly look away, and approached me. “Do you have a cigarette I can borrow?” I always wondered why people used the word borrow for something they wouldn’t return. I gave him the cigarette and struck the liter. “You know, I used to have a mirror as well,” he said, appreciating the cigarette as if it had been years. “What happened to it?” I asked “I slipped once, and the mirror shattered. And not a single person who, all had mirrors, helped me to my feet. I felt crushed at first. But after some time reflecting, I felt a joy I hadn’t felt in years. I no longer worried about fitting in and for the first time, my soul was able to breathe.” “But if I remove it, the people I’ve invested so much time in will leave me,” I said. “You see, that’s what I thought. But you see my friends over there? They were the ones who didn’t help me up that day.