I wrote this poem a few months ago, almost on impulse. With the recent bonus reflections we’ve been exploring in The Mirror Room, it felt like the right time to finally share it.
I often hear people speak with certainty about someone—or even an entire culture—despite never having truly known that person or experienced that place for themselves.
It always leaves me with the same question:
How many things do you believe you know about the world that you’ve never actually verified?
Borrowed Beliefs
Listen to them.
But do not believe them.
Do not let their voices
settle inside your mind.
Make enough noise within yourself,
with your own voice,
to drown out their echoes.
They will kill your spirit of adventure.
They will make you blind,
ignorant,
arrogant,
condescending,
alienated,
contemptuous.
Do not become a fanatic.
Be a disciple
of your own discipline.
Listen to them.
But do not believe them.
“Colombia—a country of drugs,
violence, and death everywhere,”
they told me.
Sadly, I believed them.
But my curiosity saved me.
I was afraid when adventure called,
yet I refused to surrender to their echoes.
Instead, I discovered a beautiful country,
rich in culture,
history,
and breathtaking natural landscapes.
Of course, there is danger,
drugs,
and crime.
But who is without flaws?
What country has no dark corners?
Violence in poor neighborhoods,
poverty,
crime...
I laughed at their ignorance
when I saw on television
what they were saying
about my homeland:
Haiti—an island
surrounded by water,
rivers, and lakes,
yet said to suffer from a lack of it.
They claimed
they would have to give us some,
while our countryside
is filled with fresh springs.
Yes, there are ugly realities where I come from.
But they never show its beauty.
And sadly,
neither do we.
Listen to them.
But do not believe them.
They try to impose their beliefs,
sometimes born
from nothing more
than their own imagination.
How many countries,
how many people,
suffer beneath these loud stories?
Be careful.
Listen to them,
the way you take a deep breath
before diving underwater.
Their words can serve as a warning,
as preparation.
But do not let their fear
keep you from moving forward.
Listen to them.
Verify.
And above all—
do not believe them
until you have learned
how to truly listen.
Mirror Question:
When was the last time reality surprised you because it was different from what you had been told?
Personal’s Note:
Everything I write is meant to help us see ourselves a little more clearly.
If these free reflections have resonated with you, becoming a paid subscriber gives you access to guide reflections and the Monthly Guide to Clarity—a journey carefully designed to help you explore these ideas within your own life.
And if you simply enjoy this work, supporting it is a wonderful way to help it continue reaching others.
Thank you for reading.
With Clarity,
Odel A.
The Mirror Room