An Interesting Word, Reflection

On the one hand, it means to duplicate itself upon something else without being absorbed. It is thrown back. If the light shines upon an object that can reflect, it will appear as if part of it. When the light disappears, the object will look as it did before, unaffected by the reflection that had been upon it. In our beautiful photo, when the moon moves away, the river will be left alone. The moon will leave not a mark behind.

On the other hand, we have a meaning that is almost a total opposite. When we reflect on something, we take it in, consider it, toss it about in our minds. It is more than thinking, and it certainly is not tossed back to the original. With reflection, we absorb the thing we are considering.

And the funny thing about a word like Reflection, when you reflect upon it, you are reflecting.