Reflections of the Future

The fluorescent bulbs above Nick’s bathroom sink washed over the contours of his face as he studied his reflection in the mirror. He started into his own eyes for a few moments as is he was trying to place a familiar face in his memory. Deeper and deeper he searched for full recognition of the visage staring back at him. The third bulb from the left flickered and went out. Slowly, the face in the mirror aged, becoming wrinkled and weathered. The eyes dulled, eyebrows creasing and collapsing upon them. His cheeks sagged, drawing the rest of his face downward into a fixed scowl. Eventually, Nick was peering into the eyes of a much older version of himself.

Facing this elder specter, Nick’s mind exploded with fears and doubts. His mind became mayhem. Questions were flung in all directions within him like shrapnel on a battlefield. What would his future-self think of him currently? Would he like what he saw in the mirror fifty years from now? Was he ready to watch himself age one day at a time until he ran out of days?

The dark bulb came back to life and Nick’s reflection returned to normal. He turned the lights off and left the bathroom. Two questions continued to haunt his mind. Why must the past keep getting longer? Why couldn’t the future give the present any time?