Most people don’t see me

They see their own

reflection in my eyes

When they see me as brilliant and kind

                  It’s a reflection of their own merit

                                    Mirrored and met

If they see arrogance

                  It’s their own fragility

                                    Where they demand deference

                                    I meet them with confidence

                                                      Human to human

                  Both with something to learn, something to give

I see us as different in role, but equal in value

                                    And some take offense

“Rigid! Judgemental!” cry those living a double life

Their fear of being seen becoming a friction rub against my inability

                  To hide my imperfect attempts to

live towards my principles, messy and out loud

                  giving contrast to where they’ve chosen to focus on façade

I keenly feel and, worse, express the schism of where I am to where I want to be

                  Exposing the humanness

                                     they seek to hide

Genuine                                       says the truest, realest person to me

Trustworthy                               say those I have learned can be relied upon

Stuck-up                                      says the insecure one

Curious                                       says the observant and inquisitive soul

Great learner         says the good teacher

Lazy                                          says the preceptor or classmate who seems to base

                                         their sense of worth on

                                         putting in longer hours than others,

terrified they might not truly deserve

to be where they are

Dedicated                       say the principled

I see them

                               They see them

Sometimes in seeing themselves

reflected in the eyes of someone who has also struggled

A patient or a preceptor sees someone worthy of care

Reflected back in their eyes

I see myself

Sometimes we see each other

Human to human

And we are both changed