The Reflection
The Reflection
From nativity to maturity we live with the misconception that perception is reality. What others perceive us to be is, in effect, what we are to them. The optimist calls it a mask and the pessimist calls it deception. Regardless of how we label it, each of us has presented ourselves either directly or indirectly as something other than who or what we really are. Self-preservation seems to be a prime motivator in our decision to mask ourselves. We think that the resultant protection provides security against the cruel world in which we live. These Les Nesman boundaries we construct, though invisible, are sufficiently tangible to convince most people.
There are, however, exceptions to the norm. There are those with the ability to perceive beyond any boundary or mask that we attempt to display. If we are fortunate enough to love and understand one such as this, we can begin to discover ourselves and weave a beautiful tapestry from fabric of our otherwise drab lives. Patricia was such a person. The example she set for me in life, especially the day of her death, led me to begin
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