Themes that mirror real life: Hall of Mirrors
By T.K. Bush
When I was young, our family would go to the state fair. One of my favorite attractions was the fun house. Inside, I would climb shaky wooden bridges and crawl through spinning tunnels, then arrive dizzy with laughter in a room full of mirrors. The mirrors would show altered images of me. Some made me look smaller or thinner; some made my head look like a blown-up balloon; and some made it look as if my body were twisted like a pretzel. It was hilarious. At that age, I felt no emotion in seeing myself that way, because image didn’t matter. I knew that no matter what those mirrors reflected, I would still look the same when I emerged from the fun house. I would still be me.
Throughout my teenage years and into adulthood, the world around me felt like a giant hall of mirrors. It happened so fast that I didn’t recognize what was happening. I learned to ‘fit in’ by adapting to the world around me because I felt it was expected. I didn’t feel I could show my true self. So, I would show up and show out, but inside, I was on a shaky wooden bridge of emotion, saying or doing the in thing, or crawling through a suffocating tunnel of insecurities that never stopped turning. I pulled out the right ‘mirror’ whenever it was expected, and I kept my true self hidden. I performed as I perceived the world wanted me to. I was in the funhouse again. Only this time, it wasn’t fun, and I couldn’t find the way out.
I realized much later in life that those ‘mirrored’ images were not the real me but a distorted version of who I was. By the grace of God, I was then able to discern whether my day-to-day actions were true to me, and my reflection finally began to clear. I began to realize that I was enough, that I was important, and that the people in my life who loved me loved the real me. I no longer had to pretend.
It was incredibly freeing.
In my writing, I draw on past reflections to craft my stories and characters. I recall emotional moments from romantic relationships, family life, and life in general. Then I create two imaginary individuals who embody the parts of me that would have behaved differently. I apply the ‘what if’ thought process: “What if I had handled that another way? What if I had made a different choice instead of the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ one?” These individuals usually become my protagonists and antagonists. I use my love of romantic suspense to craft worlds where I have the final say. Turning simple circumstances into complex psychological scenarios is both thrilling and therapeutic.
Real life can be hard, scary, and at times, unbearable, but I believe if we can reach the strongest parts of ourselves, the part that is confident and aware of who we truly are, we can find the exitfrom the ‘Hall of Mirrors’. It might take days, months, or years, but with the right amount of heart and courage, anything is possible. And the life we want to live is right on the other side of our imagination.
My brand’s core theme, “Healing hearts through love, loss, and the shadows that linger,” is the heart and soul of everything I stand for today. I truly believe that how we move forward, live, and treat others defines our true strength and character. I can’t say I am on a perfect emotional path right now. But when life unexpectedly throws me into a spinning tunnel, only to land, dizzy and nauseated, in a hall of distorted mirrors, there is always a way out, and I am still me. And as a bonus, I have one more interesting story to tell.
“Anything that works against you can also work for you once you understand the Principle of Reverse.”
― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well.”
— Psalm 139:14
T.K. Bush, a seasoned radiographic/cardiovascular technologist with more than two decades of medical experience, has also been a prolific writer since childhood. Married, with a blended family of 4 children and two Bengal cats, she bravely navigates the complexities of family life, healthcare, and the stimulating world of literature.
Bush’s love of reading and writing gives her a unique storytelling voice, shaped by her medical background. Drawing on her own experiences with relationships and trauma, she creates stories that guide readers toward forgiveness, acceptance, and grace, even in the toughest situations.
Her debut novel, Unveiled, releases on October 6, 2026. Kindle pre-order is now available on Amazon.
Bush skillfully incorporates her medical expertise into a psychologically intense thriller. Through the complexity of medical and relationship drama, she creates a haunting world filled with emotion, suspense, and deception.