A new reflection

“My flight had just landed in Los Angeles when the airline representative told me, ‘I’m sorry. Your bags were lost. We’ll contact you as soon as they’re accounted for,’ she said sympathetically. My sister, Natalie, nudged me away before I blew a gasket, assuring me she had plenty of clothes I could borrow. I groaned inside, imagining squeezing my frumpy self into her stylish outfits. There was no way they’d fit me.

“When we arrived at Natalie’s house, she loaned me a nice blue dress with sheer fabric and a cinched waist. To my shock, it fit me well. I’d never worn such a thing because it wasn’t my taste, yet I felt my spirits lift a little bit. ‘You’re so pretty!’ Natalie exclaimed. ‘You know, we’re actually the same size, you just try to hide too much,’ she added with a wink.

“Lord knows she was right. I’d always covered up, worried, counted calories and avoided mirrors instead of enjoying fashionable clothes and just being me. Maybe I should try on a few different things while I’m here, I thought.

“By the third day of wearing Natalie’s clothes, I felt more beautiful than I had in years—I was even disappointed when my luggage arrived. ‘Do you want me to make some room in the closet for you to hang your things?’ Natalie asked. I shook my head as we broke into giggles. ‘Let’s pretend my luggage is still lost,’ I insisted. ‘Because I think I finally found the real me!’”

—Natalie Ricker, 55, Trenton