http://youtu.be/D6v4EqoqXSs
I couldn't find the YouTube video where Sweet Honey in the Rock perform this song.
No Mirrors In My Nana's House
by Y.M. Barnwell; Performed by Sweet Honey in the Rock
There were no mirrors in my Nana's house,
no mirrors in my Nana's house.
There were no mirrors in my Na's house,
no mirrors in my Nana's house.
And the beauty that I saw in everything
was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun).
I never knew that my skin was too black.
I never knew that my nose was too flat.
I never knew that my clothes didn't fit.
I never knew there were things that I'd missed,
cause the beauty in everything
was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun);
...was in her eyes.
There were no mirrors in my Nana's house,
no mirrors in my Nana's house.
And the beauty that I saw in everything
was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun).
I was intrigued by the cracks in the walls.
I tasted, with joy, the dust that would fall.
The noise in the hallway was music to me.
The trash and the rubbish just cushioned my feet.
And the beauty in everything
was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun).
...was in her eyes.
There were no mirrors in my Nana's house,
no mirrors in my Nana's house.
And the beauty that I saw in everything
was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun).
The world outside was a magical place.
I only knew love.
I never knew hate,
and the beauty in everything
was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun).
...was in her eyes.
There were no mirrors in my Nana's house,
no mirrors in my Nana's house.
There were no mirrors in my Nana's house,
no mirrors in my Nana's house.
And the beauty that I saw in everything
was in her eyes (like the rising of the sun).
"Chil', look deep into my eyes."
"Chil', look deep into my eyes."
"Chil'..."
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Last day - Reflections
Ha! reflections...get it!
Anyway, I have come to the final conclusion that one should live their life with the belief that looks do not matter, and at the same time realize that they in fact do matter to most people. In one of my scenes in one of my favorite movies, Secondhand Lions, Uncle Hub gives young Walter part of the "What every boy needs to know about being a man" speech. In this small part of the speech the mentor reveals the idea that it doesn't matter if something is true or not you can believe in what ever you want to believe in. Things like good always triumphs over evil or hard work always pays off. It doesn't matter if good always triumphs over evil, but it does matter that you believe in it because it will shape the outlook you have on life.
Nobody should determine their self worth or their image based on their looks or the opinions of other people. A person should choose today how they are going to define themselves. One should define him/herself on things of virtue, hope, truth, and love. These are the things that are most important. Dr. King noted a person should be defined by the greatness of their character not the color of their skin. We should continually redefine ourselves based on our new understanding of the greatness that lies in each one of us. Now go to a mirror and tell yourself how great you are...and ignore that hair sticking up in back.
Anyway, I have come to the final conclusion that one should live their life with the belief that looks do not matter, and at the same time realize that they in fact do matter to most people. In one of my scenes in one of my favorite movies, Secondhand Lions, Uncle Hub gives young Walter part of the "What every boy needs to know about being a man" speech. In this small part of the speech the mentor reveals the idea that it doesn't matter if something is true or not you can believe in what ever you want to believe in. Things like good always triumphs over evil or hard work always pays off. It doesn't matter if good always triumphs over evil, but it does matter that you believe in it because it will shape the outlook you have on life.
Nobody should determine their self worth or their image based on their looks or the opinions of other people. A person should choose today how they are going to define themselves. One should define him/herself on things of virtue, hope, truth, and love. These are the things that are most important. Dr. King noted a person should be defined by the greatness of their character not the color of their skin. We should continually redefine ourselves based on our new understanding of the greatness that lies in each one of us. Now go to a mirror and tell yourself how great you are...and ignore that hair sticking up in back.
Day 25 - Mirrors
Mirrors are everywhere! or even your reflection. at this point, I am not as aware about the constant need to dodge a mirror, so I occasionally find myself face to face with...myself. Then I avert my eyes and move on. I am not overly concerned about the lack of a mirror. I am not craving a mirror or begging for the next five days to fly by. It doesn't seem like a big deal to me.
Why are others so concerned? How long would I have to go before everyone else realized that I don't care about looks, so they shouldn't bring it up? Maybe I just need a job that is not in a middle school where a small chocolate milk stain on your pants can leave stranded at your desk unwilling to get up.
Why are others so concerned? How long would I have to go before everyone else realized that I don't care about looks, so they shouldn't bring it up? Maybe I just need a job that is not in a middle school where a small chocolate milk stain on your pants can leave stranded at your desk unwilling to get up.
Day 20 - The Neck Whisker
While talking to some students after school, I was a having a good time enjoying the appropriate humor of some really good kids until one of my students noticed that I had an inch long black hair growing on my neck! At first she didn't think it was attached, so she decided it were her job to pull on it. She pulled and found that it in fact was attached! Ahhhhh! It became a big thing that I tried to down play. I was not embarrassed nor did I care that the kids had been the one to find it. Normally, I would have seen it in the mirror and probably pulled it out or shaved it, but the mirror fast did not really control random neck hairs.
Again, I tried to down play it, but it was not a situation that was going to go away. At last a student named the hair a "neck whisker" and went to get a pair of scissors because it became apparent that our previous conversation could not continue until the neck whisker was taken care of.
During this no mirror experiment, I have found that I am not too worried about my outward appearance, but others seem to be completely intrigued by any miscues that might ensue from not carefully prepping in front of the mirror. It is actually to the point that I feel I would rather be in front of a mirror just so I don't have to waste time with the comments of a neck whisker or bushy eye brows. I have tried to make these moments the much sought after "learning moments." I am prone to give a speech on just about any topic when given even the slightest opening, but I have found this topic of looks to be one that people won't listen to or let go. Maybe looks do in fact matter...
Again, I tried to down play it, but it was not a situation that was going to go away. At last a student named the hair a "neck whisker" and went to get a pair of scissors because it became apparent that our previous conversation could not continue until the neck whisker was taken care of.
During this no mirror experiment, I have found that I am not too worried about my outward appearance, but others seem to be completely intrigued by any miscues that might ensue from not carefully prepping in front of the mirror. It is actually to the point that I feel I would rather be in front of a mirror just so I don't have to waste time with the comments of a neck whisker or bushy eye brows. I have tried to make these moments the much sought after "learning moments." I am prone to give a speech on just about any topic when given even the slightest opening, but I have found this topic of looks to be one that people won't listen to or let go. Maybe looks do in fact matter...
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Day 15 - My Hair is Sticking Up!
Not looking in a mirror is not a big deal if you know that you look okay, but what about when you should have checked a mirror because your hair is sticking up? I decided to make that happen oday. I showered last night but not this morning, which mean that my hair is sticking up in the back right now! I was really doing pretty well all morning with the thought that my hair is probably sticking up. I went about my day and did all of my great work with adults and kids for about half of the day...then I accidentally saw myself in the reflection of a doorway window and confirmed my hair sticking up.
Seeing my hair sticking up in back completely changed my day. I immediately wanted to go wet down my hair, or I wanted to keep holding my hair down. Ultimately, this is the crux of the experirment. Am I too hung up on my physical looks? It is easy to say I am not when I look the way I think I should, but what about when my hair sticks up all day? It has taken some work, but I am focused on doing great things again and not worried about my hair. Do I need to make sure that my hair is messed up every day so that I can lose that idea of worrying about looks? It is so ingrained to my psyche. I say that looks don't matter, and I believe that my ideas and beliefs are bigger than my physical being, but it is hard to live that out in the real world.
I hope that through this experiment I will be able to show others the true difficulty of presenting the idea of looks are not the important thing, and that it is inside that is important.
Seeing my hair sticking up in back completely changed my day. I immediately wanted to go wet down my hair, or I wanted to keep holding my hair down. Ultimately, this is the crux of the experirment. Am I too hung up on my physical looks? It is easy to say I am not when I look the way I think I should, but what about when my hair sticks up all day? It has taken some work, but I am focused on doing great things again and not worried about my hair. Do I need to make sure that my hair is messed up every day so that I can lose that idea of worrying about looks? It is so ingrained to my psyche. I say that looks don't matter, and I believe that my ideas and beliefs are bigger than my physical being, but it is hard to live that out in the real world.
I hope that through this experiment I will be able to show others the true difficulty of presenting the idea of looks are not the important thing, and that it is inside that is important.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Day 11 - How's my hair?
I am still not really tempted by mirrors, but I am still somewhat concerned about my self image. I find myself occasionally holding down the one spot on my head where hair has traditionally stood up or wondering if that one weird long hair on my ear is growing out. I want to just cut randomoly by ear to see if I can cut the random hair before it is noticeable.
My conclusion is that I have not really changed thus far. I am just concerned about my looks and not looking in a mirror. If I was really not concerned, I wouldn't think about my hair sticking up and whether or not I should throw on a hat before I head to the store. Is that even where I want to be? Do I want to be at a point where I don't care about the social norms or do I just want to take the emphasis off of my looks a bit? I am not sure yet. Hopefully, I find out in the next 17 days or so.
My conclusion is that I have not really changed thus far. I am just concerned about my looks and not looking in a mirror. If I was really not concerned, I wouldn't think about my hair sticking up and whether or not I should throw on a hat before I head to the store. Is that even where I want to be? Do I want to be at a point where I don't care about the social norms or do I just want to take the emphasis off of my looks a bit? I am not sure yet. Hopefully, I find out in the next 17 days or so.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Day 9
For the most part I don't really even notice not looking in a mirror. I did have another presentation today. I dressed up and probably would have looked in the mirror to make sure everything was working well together. Ultimately, I think my socks didn't really go well with my pants, and I don't need to a mirror to figure that out so I probably don't care all that much about looks whether I have a mirror or not.
I have mentioned to a couple of students that I am not looking in a mirror this month because the subject of look has come up. They kind of think I am weird anyway so they are not really surprised, but I did get to bring up the idea that outside appearances don't really matter, and I am trying to prove that. It was an interesting beginning to a dialogue that I believe will resurface before the month is over.
I have mentioned to a couple of students that I am not looking in a mirror this month because the subject of look has come up. They kind of think I am weird anyway so they are not really surprised, but I did get to bring up the idea that outside appearances don't really matter, and I am trying to prove that. It was an interesting beginning to a dialogue that I believe will resurface before the month is over.
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