I’ve been looking through some of my past journals. It was interesting going through my thoughts, and meanderings from 2023. I am surprised and even in awe of my own words—my own wisdom.
It made me think, perhaps, when we say or think something for the first time, we don’t really “hear” ourselves. It is only by looking back and reflecting on that moment that we gain the insight or wisdom inherent in what was said or thought.
In physics, reflection refers to the phenomenon where waves, including light, sound, and water waves, bounce back from a surface. It also refers to the throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it. Reflection is also defined as the act of serious thought or consideration.
In a therapeutic context, reflection of meaning refers to a technique whereby a therapist helps a client explore the deeper, underlying meanings of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It involves paraphrasing and summarizing clients’ statements, then offering them back for further exploration, aiming to help the client gain new perspectives and a deeper understanding of themselves and their experiences. And is that not why we are all here—to gain a deeper understanding of who we are as human beings?
Some people may think that reflections are distorted images, but depending on the smoothness of the surface, a reflection can be very clear. Unlike a snapshot from a camera, which reverses my image; a reflection is an exact copy of me. In fact, only someone standing beside me as we look into a mirror can see me exactly as I am. My right is their right; my left is their left—no crossover.
When we are allowed to reflect on ourselves during any given moment in our lives, we can see ourselves exactly as we were in that moment—no distortion—no crossover. With emotion and judgement set aside, we can now see our true motives and assess our actions objectively, gaining the wisdom to glean from that moment the lesson to be learned from it.
As writers, this is what we do. We take one moment and reflect on it, then create a narrative that reflects even further, forming a mirror by which, we hope, some readers might see themselves more clearly through an objective lens. In essence, reflection is not merely an act of looking back—it is a way of seeing. Through our words, we offer readers a chance to recognize pieces of themselves in our stories, gaining insight from perspectives they may not have considered before. And perhaps that is the true gift of reflection—not just understanding the past, but using it to illuminate the way forward, and in turn, light the way for others.