"I might creak in the morning and groan now and then,
But I'd still climb that mountain if you asked me again."
The Mirror
The face and body may grow older. The essence inside never does.
Running time: 4 minutes 58 seconds
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
I look in the mirror to see what I see,
A much older version of who used to be.
I'm sixty-nine now, though I still feel thirty-three,
If youth lived inside us, I'd still be running free.
Every line on my face tells a story I've known,
From the dreams that I chased to the seeds that I've sown.
Time keeps on moving like an old country train,
But the heart keeps on beating just the same.
[Chorus]
There's an old man in the mirror staring back at me,
Looks a whole lot older than I ever thought I'd be.
His hair's turned silver, and his shoulders bend a bit,
But inside this old body, that young boy still won't quit.
So I'll smile at his reflection, tip my hat and carry on,
'Cause the man inside the mirror's been my friend all along.
[Verse 2]
I looked there this morning and got quite a surprise,
My old Dad was standing there before my very eyes.
He wore that same tired smile I'd seen so many years,
Now I understand the laughter and the tears.
The light caught my head and it looked snowy white,
I laughed to myself, "Well, that's ageing done right."
I might creak in the morning and groan now and then,
But I'd still climb that mountain if you asked me again.
[Chorus]
There's an old man in the mirror staring back at me,
Looks a whole lot older than I ever thought I'd be.
His hair's turned silver, and his shoulders bend a bit,
But inside this old body, that young boy still won't quit.
So I'll smile at his reflection, tip my hat and carry on,
'Cause the man inside the mirror's been my friend all along.
[Bridge]
Every sunrise is a blessing, every sunset's earned,
Life has taught me more than any page I've ever turned.
If tomorrow finds me waking with another day to live,
I'll thank the Lord above for all He's chosen me to give.
[Final Chorus]
There's an old man in the mirror smiling back at me,
He's lived enough for memories and still has dreams to see.
His hair may all be silver, and his step may not be fast,
But every mile behind him made the man who's here at last.
So I'll face another morning with a grateful heart and grin,
'Cause the old man in the mirror is the boy I've always been.
[Outro]
So tonight I'll say my prayers before I lay my head,
Hope I wake tomorrow, not remembered instead.
I'll brush these faithful old teeth, give that old face one more grin,
And thank God for another day to meet that man again.
Behind the Song
The Mirror grew from a simple but familiar thought: the person we see in the mirror rarely feels like the person we are inside.
With warmth, humour and quiet honesty, Paul reflects on growing older while realising that, despite the passing years, the person looking out from within remains much the same. It is a gentle reminder that age changes our appearance far more than it changes our spirit.
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The Original Poem
The Mirror
I look in the mirror to find what I see
A much older version of what I used to be
I’m now 69 but I still feel 33
I wish I were the age I feel not the one I see
I looked in the mirror again this morning
It gave me a shock for without any warning
My Dad was stood there, tired and yawning
And the old chap stared back as daylight was dawning
I looked in the mirror once more on this day
My hair wasn’t shiny just dull limp and grey
But it’s not how I feel I really must say
But it looks like this old bloke’s not going away
I looked in the mirror once more on this night
The light shining down on my head was quite bright
My hair didn’t look grey it seemed to be white
I looked so unwell but I felt quite alright
I stared in the mirror before going to bed
Cleaning my teeth which were still in my head
I hoped I’d sleep well but not wake up dead
So tomorrow again I can see the old man instead