This is what my husband saw today while walking in the botanical garden and this is what greats me each morning while brushing my teeth! Happy?Yes! More words? Not needed!

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"Mirror, mirror on the wall / Who in the land is fairest of all?"

Who am I? Beata was very inquisitive while looking in the mirror, trying to see beyond the obvious. She felt tired, and she looked tired. Her eyes were somehow hollow, very deep but reddish. So many thoughts ... Wash, clean, cook, shop, pick up the boys from football, make conversation with her old aunt ... With what to start first? Her husband always tell her that he has the feeling that when she stands up she always knows what to do next. But not today ... Her world was suffocating her!

Beata tried to compose herself, looked once more in the mirror and she just knew while watching her skin, her hair, her hair, her nose, her ears ... She needs a day only for herself, forget the washing, the cleaning. But then what to do with her aunt? She could not leave her alone, the Alzheimer was getting more serious as days passed! Shall she ask her husband? Would he do that for her? Her doubts were sneaking in, but she knew she needs to dare, she needs to ask, she actually has to demand this one day. Her whole life was dedicated to the home, to family, to the boys, to her aunt. Where was she in this picture? She had to let the true Beata emerge!

She stormed out of the bathroom, caught her husband while he was drinking coffee and just snaped: 'I need today just for me!'

James looked puzzled, tried not to choke, and then asked kindly: 'What do you mean? Don't you have free time today?'

'Free time? You must be joking! Shall I outline my normal day for you? I don't think you would cope with it! Please, only this Saturday, just stay with auntie, pick up the boys from football. You don't have to do anything else. We will just order some take away in the afternoon. Can you do that for me?'

'Sure! But what happened?'

'I need to go out and have time for me!'

She left him behind, dressed in haste, changed since she just picked up her normal 'uniform' (jeans, T-shirt and sneakers) and went out as fast as possible. She knew she can't change her mind, she felt in her summer dress a little bit better.

Her idea for the day? Manicure, a new hair cut, a new colour, a massage, some nice lunch on her own. But could she manage everything without an apppointment? Somewhere around noon she understood that the stars are playing along. The hands looked wonderful with a new orange colour, the same orange tones were in her hair which has some fluidity in it. A light lunch, with a nice white wine. Relaxing! She had luck with the massage as well, and had time for some shopping as well.

At 5 in the afternoon, she arrived home feeling rejuvenated and happy! She did not want to think what she will find, she had thoughts only for the take away she was holding. And the surprise, the house was clean, she heard the boys playing in the garden under the supervision of her aunt. Where was James? Reading a newspaper in the living room! She could not belive her eyes and neither her ears when she heard James saying:

'You know what? We should do this more often, just realised today how much you do and I should help some more! And by the way you look great!'

The mirror on the hall caught a glimpe of a relaxed, beautiful middle aged woman, with tears in her eyes. Mirror, mirror on the wall ...

P.S. This is an entry for the BFF group, theme BFF 114 entitled "IN THE MIRROR"...What do you see when you look in the mirror?

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