Mirror, Mirror, What Are You Telling Me?

In my class last night I talked about how people serve as our mirrors and teach us what we need to know about ourselves. Seeing what we don't like in others helps us look deeper inside ourselves for similar traits and challenges that need healing, balancing or changing.People whose personalities and actions seem to push our buttons the most are generally our biggest teachers.
Most of us will resist this idea strongly. The problem always lies with the other person. Right? Wrong, not even by a long shot.It would be nice if we can always place the blame on the other person but ask yourself this question, If the problem is truly the other person's and not my own then why does being around that person affect me so negatively?"
In the mirror of interactions with others we may be able to see, if we look inward, our shortcomings. Character flaws, weaknesses etc. are more easily seen in others than in ourselves but holding the mirror up may help us to identify similar traits in ourselves that need changing.

When we are confronted with a personality that irks us and is uncomfortable to be around it can be a challenge to understand that it is offering us a grand opportunity to learn something about ourselves.

I realized a while back that every time I was around someone who was an incessant talker it would make me crazy.I wanted to yell at them to shut up and I couldn't wait to get away from them and many times I would be agitated for a while. Holding the mirror up helped me to heal from something. My mother was one of those people who constantly needed attention and no matter what anyone may say she would somehow bring the conversation back to herself. Constant interruptions were the norm of any kind of strained dialogue with her. It was very frustrating. Now it no longer bothers me as I know what it triggered and it is gone.

We also serve as mirrors to others without realizing it. We are both teachers and students in life. I wonder what type of lessons I may be offering to others through my actions every day.