What You Can't See - Randy Wong

I can’t see what my friends see in me. I can’t see what they say I look like. I can’t see the hair that is badly cut and dry. I can’t see the droopy left eye that reminded someone of a cartoon character. I can’t see the nose that must be like Pinocchio’s because no one ever gets the same measurement. I can’t see the ears that someone said looked liked handles to a water pitcher. I can’t see the chin that has generated repeated derogatory remarks about my Asian heritage. And, finally, I can’t see the teeth that are never straight and never white.

I can’t see these things because I don’t need to see them. I don’t have a mirror to gaze upon. The only reflection that matters is the one I see in Ana Maria’s green eyes.

I see her playfulness as she runs her fingers thru my hair. I see her shyness as she traces her finger from my eye to my cheek. I see her getting excited as I bury my nose into her neck and smelling her essence. I see her wavy brown hair up close as she nibbles my ear. I see her kiss my chin as we cuddle up against one another.

What’s the lesson that I learned? That it does not matter what my friends see in me. It only matters what I see in me, and what Ana Maria sees when we are together.

I also learned that I need to get new friends.