September 4, 2022
If you could see yourself
as I do—for isn’t this why
we need one another—to shine in
each other’s light? In your
presence I am
all myself smiling—at you. Smiling
back at you; reflecting what
is already seen. If you could see
how I
look at you
then you would see yourself
as I do.
–NZain
Growing Up... 
This is beautiful Nina! Absolutely beautiful! Love your kitty. I bet he is a character! 💙
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Thank you sweet tea sister Renee. It’s been a while since I’ve had the inspiration to write. And yes, Mr. Cat is a character for sure! 😹
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Beautiful my friend!! Introspective thanks for sharing!
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Glad you like it Charlotte! Always a pleasure to write for you. 🤗
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Awe! Thanks! 🤗❣️🌻
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🤗😘🤗😘
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“How I look at you”
…is not the same as how I see you.
I see you. In you, I would see myself.
How I look at you.
I Leave the room wherein is the mirror; made by man…unchanging and has only the reflection of myself to look into and looks back at.
Now…I ask you to Follow me into the quiet forest; through and down the rambling paths of nature…made by God.
Find yourself near me; standing beside a natural pool of cool water that we happenstance to find; a pool that streams of living waters have fed and the rains of eons past have fallen into. Stand by me…here…where nature forged us together…and as one.
Look into the pool and see what is presented.
From my side, we will see my tears slide from the corner of my eyes, onto and along the length of my nose and drop Into the pool. They will fall. Those tears. In a moment before a single tear hits the water, our reflections are clear to ourselves standing side by side, but in a moment, there are only ripples…and obscurity, for that is the nature of things made by God…and has not changed for the choice we made in the beginning.
There is not but the revealed passage of the sorrow, shame and hubris for what I, also, see in me of that perfect reflection so easily perturbed. And now I am sorry that it ruined the beautiful image that, just a moment ago was stunning…and loving…and kind because you, too…were there.
It was me. It was all my fault, for I asked you to come with me…to the forest; into nature and God’s garden where it all began. Here, God made us. He set up all that was created, here, for us. He asked us to partake of ALL there was to have therein…EXCEPT Good and evil. He then left us there. Alone, we were tempted to forgo life; and choose the forbidden fruit of good…and evil. So we did choose that instead of Life.
In nature, the image changes when we choose Evil, for there is not but tears for sorrow, shame and hubris that, too…fall into that reflection and disturbs the waters. Tears do not fall into glass. They fall upon it. The glass is unmoved. The image is unchanged. We think it perfect in Glass. It is not. It is a dead image. It lies.
In the pools of nature, we can see our true nature. In the natural world, our reflected images will show everything chosen, lived and presented before God who offered choice and Truth to see therein, for the living waters fed the reflective pools, and the waters move to show what is true; that if we see our true nature there is reason to weep…and rejoice. And if we return to God, The living waters will ripple as they receive our living tears…and will be still fed by a life we chose…not what God would have chosen for us, but the truth of it will be known and seen. How brave we must be to dare not hide our nakedness. Our shame.
It is a shame to me, for in the garden of God’s making for us, there was also a tree of life. Had we chosen that…there would be no need for mirrors of our own making to look into…but not see. And there would be no need to look at any reflection but what God Made, for how can we even now bear what is not good? We can not. Or at least, I can not any longer bear it.
Had we chosen Life…there would be more to see.
There would be God. And that would be enough.
I am sorry for my choices that marred what was meant to be perfect. I would repent just for to see you and me…and all of us undisturbed.
I see you. I see me. And in nature, it doesn’t matter whose tears fall into the pool wherein all of man is truly reflected. The result is the same. We are all obscured. We all get disturbed and perturbed. We all chose Good and Evil, and every choice…will wrinkle the fabric of the whole. For what is good to me, is evil and an enemy to another…and what is evil for me…can be a good friend to another. That can’t be seen in a glass mirror.
It’s the ripples in the reflection that tell the truth.
And, Now I remember that there was the Tree of Life in the garden. Perhaps I will leave the pool and any that want to reflect upon its content. By and by and a little ways off, I will take a rest deeper within the forest. And when I am rested, I will get up and walk further in…past the pool, and I will search for that Tree of Life instead.
I am wearied by the disturbance I have created and can’t seem keep myself from. All I do is weep these days. It is what I chose…and God Agreed. Good and evil it is; and to wander the earth; to till and toil over the stony ground wrought with…thorns and hardship and harvest of what was sown. And…nothing but Good and Evil to come of it.
This is what we chose. And there is still what we were given. Choices.
And there is still God.
And there is still Good to reach for.
Christ showed us what good to reach for, and he still shows us…over and over. Reach for God.
For your willingness to see the best in me, Nina, I see Christ in you!
I see you! You are good!
Thank God.
Peace be with you.
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Blessed verses Nina! We are called to live in community, supporting one another, sharing tears, and lifting praises. Blessings to you!
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Hi Mr. B! Yes supporting one another through the tears and joys! Easing one another’s burdens. Accepting each other as children of God. Blessings to you as well!
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Hi Nina! So good to see you back once again! Muffin and I have missed you and Mr. Cat. This is so wonderfully written Nina it brought a smile and tears at the same time. I hope you two are doing well, God bless!😊😻🌞
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Hi Steve! Aww tears and a smile. Really? That’s beautifully said. Thank you. We’ve missed you too. We are doing well and settling into our new life. So much has happened and changed in the last year. More to come in the next! All the best to you, my friends. 🙏🏻😻🤗
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Thank you so much Nina, so good to know you are doing well. Yes, more changes, for us as well. Have a wonderful week ahead!😊😻🙏
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How lovely to see, how love was meant to be! A lovely share!
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😍🙏🏻💓
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I’ve missed you … Sorry if you’ve been posting and I haven’t seen your posts. This one is beautiful. I think we all want to have people in our lives who look at us in this way. A relationship like this is life-transforming.
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Oh Ann thank you. I’ve missed you too, It’s been me who’s been out of touch. I’m sorry. 🤗. Isn’t that the way we can look at ourselves—we can look at others? 💓
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