The Mirror of Erised

[Just Me]

“Let me explain -said Dumbledore- The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is.

Harry thought and then he said slowly -It show us what we want... Whatever we want...

Yes and no -said Dumbledore quietly- It show us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts (...) However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible.”

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

J.K. Rowling.

  

I love Harry Potter, I’ve read the books and watched the movies many times since I was a little. When I remember this scene now I can’t help wondering if J.K. Rowling was a maladaptative daydreamer. She created a whole imaginary world with beautiful buildings, magic and all sort of creatures. And I wonder if she got the inspiration to create the Mirror of Erised from her daydreams. Maybe it’s true, or maybe I’m just daydreaming.

With the pass of the years I’ve realized that my daydreams show me what I want to have, what I want to be. It’s like my mind is asking me to do something using images of a perfect world: “Hey! get friends, get a girlfriend, I bet you would love everybody admires you, wouldn’t be great to stop time to do everything you have to calmly...” and I see myself  meeting my love, with great friends, everybody loves me and I can reach everything.

I really believe my daydreams are a reflect of what I want but I don’t dare to get. And Rowling writes further: “However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible.” I feel I’m the man who has wasted himself away locked alone dreaming his life away, entranced by that beautiful but unreal world. Indeed, the mirror doesn’t give any knowledge or truth, because it does not show reality.

But another thought just came to me. Might it be a gift we posses and others don’t? There are many people out there living unhappy lives, without knowing what is missing. Could this mirror actually give us knowledge about ourselves? Show us a clue of what we need in our lives to reach happiness. But of course, we cannot let it take over our lives and waste our whole time on earth in front of it, staring what we want to be.

I have noticed, that full-filling those desires has helped me stop daydreaming. I remember this girl I liked in high school. I used to daydream I could do anything and she was always watching me, impressed by my great attributions. It was my mind telling me I wanted her attention. I was powerful because I felt weak. I had a lot of friends because I felt lonely.

When I wasn’t anymore interested in that girl I stopped daydreaming about her, when I got the great friends I have now, my imaginary friends disappeared. I’ve been trying to fill the empty spaces that my minds shows me with actions in the real life. And it has worked for me.

Well, that was quite an introduction to the questions to discuss. I’m sorry if I bored you, my intentions were opposite: to catch you’re attention.

So, do you think our MD is a Mirror of Erised created by our minds trying to tell us something? Do you think we are the people whom, according to J.K Rowling, are entranced by it? Is it a gift or a curse? Do you believe that being happy with our real lives will keep us unaffected in front of its powers? 

[greyartist]

a curse. It to me is more like getting trapped in the mirror. Watching as the real you goes on living without you, watching your life go by. But I do think the DDs maybe showing us something, our subconious fears or desires. I haven't figured out how to "turn off" the message even if I get it.

[taffle]

I think it's a gift, but I wouldn't want what I see in the mirror to come to life. I keep my daydreams and real life separate. What happens in the mirror stays in the mirror.

[Gina Black]

It is a gift as long as you make use of what you see. If you turn a blind eye, then nothing changes, and you spend your life hearing your inner voice crying about the need of a better world.

[April Dawn Hale]

It can be a gift, but it's most often a curse.

 

We should all watch Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3, Episode 21 Hollow Pursuits.

[Unlucky_13]

It is both a gift and a curse. I developed MD to cope with depression and anxiety. I spend my time daydreaming for hours and during that time I would feel happy, sad, angry and powerful. When I am not daydreaming, I feel numb and scared. I need my daydreams to stay alive (literally). It is a curse as I feel more attached to the daydream characters  than real people. I don't go out much either and I feel like my daydreaming is an addiction.

[Laila]

Ditto... And I'm still addicted to the same imaginary characters I've used for five years. I can't imagine my life without them now. xD Maybe one day I'll turn my DDs into good by writing stories to entertain others.

And is your avatar from the anime "Ghost Hunt?" I've been meaning to watch it.

Unlucky_13 said:

It is both a gift and a curse. I developed MD to cope with depression and anxiety. I spend my time daydreaming for hours and during that time I would feel happy, sad, angry and powerful. When I am not daydreaming, I feel numb and scared. I need my daydreams to stay alive (literally). It is a curse as I feel more attached to the daydream characters  than real people. I don't go out much either and I feel like my daydreaming is an addiction.