Reflections

As many of you may know I love going to Thrift Stores.   I love the hunt for treasures, items that people no longer find valuable or need.    Once in a while one of those treasures will speak to you.  (not literally...)   I purchased one such item a couple months ago.   A primitive wood hand mirror that is over a hundred years old. 

I found the mirror in a shopping cart at the store waiting to be placed on a rack for display.  I tell you when I saw it and pick it up, I just about did a jig.   My first thought was how exciting to find something so primitive in a shopping cart for under five dollars.   My next thought,  "who does that?!  Who gets rid of something that has so much family history?!"


When I got home, I put the mirror on top of an antique side board.  Every time I walk by the mirror I could not help but think about all that is has seen.  One night laying in bed I just pondered over the story this mirror had to tell.  Everything has a story......from a rock, to the stars above, a story of its creation and journey, its story.   So, what was this mirror's story..................


What I know....  The mirror was made in the early 1900's and cost under a ninety cents.  The wear marks indicate it was held in someone's left hand meaning they were right handed.  Also, from those marks I can tell that they were held by a woman.  ( my hand covers the marks perfectly and I am a woman with fairly small hands) 


What I wonder.............. How many faces looked in the mirror? What did their reflections look like? How old were they?  How did the mirror travel to Western Nebraska? By train? Wagon or horse? Was it purchased through a mail order catalog or did someone walk into a mercantile to purchase it?  Was it a gift for a young lady?  I could go on and on with questions I wish my thrift store mirror could answer.

I do hope the reflections in the mirror were happy reflections, not of sorrow.  Reflections of excitement,  not loss.  Reflections of beauty, not of pain.  Reflections of health, not of illness.   Reflections of grace and dignity, not of harshness and unworthiness. And last a refection of love and not of hate.


The story the mirror could tell would be amazing I am sure.  I, however, will be content with the stories I can imagine.


Nebraska Prairie Girl