The reflection in the looking glass - it is a contradiction of sorts, for how can a thing appear to be completely itself while being the complete opposite of itself.
The looking glass creates, what appears to be, an illusion. The illusion is created by the looking glass’s reflexive, almost magic, properties that enable a person to perceive a clear image of self.
In life, sometimes, we encounter people whose presence provides us with this reflexive perspective. A contradictory perspective, so to speak – of something being the opposite and the same.
If our lives were Shakespearan plays, we would call these people our character foils - a person who is quintessentially different yet remarkably the same as the other. And because of these contrasts and parallels, foils provide a lens for creating a more definitive image of a person.
It was 5 am Tuesday May 11. Sleepy-eyed, and sleep deprived, a mob of blue-Asic clad zombies (also known as Hockey players) slowly trickled their way to the American Airlines check-in desk at the San Diego Airport.
At 5:05 am, the elevator doors open.
In walk, Day and Night. Both stand a little over 5 feet tall. Day’s shoulder length, sandy brown hair is pulled back into a tight, perfect, ponytail. Her shirt is pressed, the collar folded over and the edge tucked into her dark blue jeans.
Night stands beside her. Her long bleach blond hair lies in a tousled mess of a side bun. Her shirt, wrinkly fresh, looks as though it came right out of her travel bag; the collar, like Night’s hair, goes in every direction. I was unable to see if Night’s shirt was tucked in, because I was distracted by her jeans - fade-washed, zipped, frayed, black Joan-Jett skinny jeans.
I look back to Day and her dark blue, simple, jeans. Day and Night are polar opposites, I thought.
Or are they?
At 6:20pm Thursday May 13th, as the USA plays Argentina, two players substitute into the game for their first international cap for the Red, White and Blue.
Onto the field run Day and Night.
Onto the field run Marta Malmberg and Kelsey Kolojejchijck. Only now, their differences aren’t as pronounced.
And it is not because of the uniform.
It is because of the look in their eyes.
It’s the look of determination. The look of pure, relentless determination to succeed. Whether that means defending Luciana Aymar, the reigning best player in the world, or running a fifty yard tackle back to break up a dangerous counter attack.
The same raw fuel burns inside Day and Night. The raw passion to fight – to scratch, to sprint, to dive – the passion to do whatever it takes in order to prove that they belong.
Marta Malmberg and Kelsey Kolejejchijck, Day and Night, on the surface appear to be opposites, but if you take a deeper looker, maybe they are more alike than then they appear.
Or maybe not. Kelsey will continue to wear her Joan-Jett jeans and Marta her Gap-esque ones.
But somewhere, in the counters of their reflection, you see the image of the unyielding, competitive fire burning inside both of them.
Congratulations Kelsey and Marta.
The looking glass creates, what appears to be, an illusion. The illusion is created by the looking glass’s reflexive, almost magic, properties that enable a person to perceive a clear image of self.
In life, sometimes, we encounter people whose presence provides us with this reflexive perspective. A contradictory perspective, so to speak – of something being the opposite and the same.
If our lives were Shakespearan plays, we would call these people our character foils - a person who is quintessentially different yet remarkably the same as the other. And because of these contrasts and parallels, foils provide a lens for creating a more definitive image of a person.
It was 5 am Tuesday May 11. Sleepy-eyed, and sleep deprived, a mob of blue-Asic clad zombies (also known as Hockey players) slowly trickled their way to the American Airlines check-in desk at the San Diego Airport.
At 5:05 am, the elevator doors open.
In walk, Day and Night. Both stand a little over 5 feet tall. Day’s shoulder length, sandy brown hair is pulled back into a tight, perfect, ponytail. Her shirt is pressed, the collar folded over and the edge tucked into her dark blue jeans.
Night stands beside her. Her long bleach blond hair lies in a tousled mess of a side bun. Her shirt, wrinkly fresh, looks as though it came right out of her travel bag; the collar, like Night’s hair, goes in every direction. I was unable to see if Night’s shirt was tucked in, because I was distracted by her jeans - fade-washed, zipped, frayed, black Joan-Jett skinny jeans.
I look back to Day and her dark blue, simple, jeans. Day and Night are polar opposites, I thought.
Or are they?
At 6:20pm Thursday May 13th, as the USA plays Argentina, two players substitute into the game for their first international cap for the Red, White and Blue.
Onto the field run Day and Night.
Onto the field run Marta Malmberg and Kelsey Kolojejchijck. Only now, their differences aren’t as pronounced.
And it is not because of the uniform.
It is because of the look in their eyes.
It’s the look of determination. The look of pure, relentless determination to succeed. Whether that means defending Luciana Aymar, the reigning best player in the world, or running a fifty yard tackle back to break up a dangerous counter attack.
The same raw fuel burns inside Day and Night. The raw passion to fight – to scratch, to sprint, to dive – the passion to do whatever it takes in order to prove that they belong.
Marta Malmberg and Kelsey Kolejejchijck, Day and Night, on the surface appear to be opposites, but if you take a deeper looker, maybe they are more alike than then they appear.
Or maybe not. Kelsey will continue to wear her Joan-Jett jeans and Marta her Gap-esque ones.
But somewhere, in the counters of their reflection, you see the image of the unyielding, competitive fire burning inside both of them.
Congratulations Kelsey and Marta.
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