The Gift of Perfection

Positive Pensées

Kathy King 

The Gift of Perfection

“Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.”

Mark Twain

Perfect. 

Without flaws.

Not a wrinkle to be seen.

Perfection, is it attainable or actually real?

After all, isn’t the phrase, “To err is human, to forgive divine” the epitome of the futility in this life of trying to make that impossible climb.  

Continuous improvement. 

A will to do your best. 

A dash of discipline and patience. 

A cup of grit and a tenacious will. 

This will move you more toward perfection than just expecting it by sheer will. 

Strive for perfection, absolutely do your best. 

But don’t beat yourself up when it is not your perfect best. 

If we all were perfect, how could we ever learn?

To be better, to do better, to pass the test. 

That dear reader is perfection at its best. 

This morning I was thinking about perfection.  That one moment when the sink is free of dishes.  Actually that 2.5 seconds that the sink is free of dishes is a more accurate representation of the truth.  That 1.5 seconds that there is not one shred of laundry to wash.  The glorious pay day that sits there, if only for a minute before you have to pay for everything.  Would you say that is perfection?  Perhaps.  Here is the concept, if that is perfection… Well, it is only momentary.  As a pianist and singer, I can practice something forty thousand times, it will sound wonderful to my ears and to my family’s ears.  But… I can go to the venue and mess up quite spectacularly.  So, perfection...  Yeah, it may not be achievable.  As we look at what is going on in the world, I can’t help but think that our “perfections” from the safety of our homes is important yet small compared to what others are going through.  If anything, I would say those folks who are really struggling would say, “Do your best!  You never know what will happen next.”  In other words, keep trying even if you know that it won’t be perfect, keep writing, keep praying even if you have not gotten the answer yet.  How often do you start a task, get frustrated, leave the task, start it again and… then give up? I have done it over and over recently. Earlier today I was listening to a podcast about the concept of happiness. Did you know that we as a society are the least “happy” we have been in quite some time. The leading cause? Well, again and again the conversation came back to social media. Perfect lives, airbrushed perfection of skin. Growing old gracefully? The hosts said that concept is completely lost on society at the moment. I also heard about a concept of “quiet walking” that is apparently gaining popularity. While I am glad that the younger folks are walking without the distraction of noise in their ears... I couldn’t help but think… Generation upon generation did that for millennia. What did Soloman say in the Bible? “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9. To me this passage means that we humans from age to age struggle with the question of existence. Why are we here? What is my purpose? Technology may advance and change, but that basic question will always remain. Thank goodness we are not expected to be perfect. The podcast ended with a theory that we humans should re-embrace the concept of service to others. To know that there is something greater than self. This leads to "soular" peace. Do you have to be a doormat? No, absolutely not.  However, you can adopt a servant's heart. The speaker ended with the concept of flowers and seeds. Cut flowers are beautiful but they die, if you just focus on selfies, self, me! Me! Me! That eventually dies. But if you cultivate that flower of service, of love, etc.. and keep it growing that will lead to germination and more flowers, more goodness, more common decency and less perfection. I work with older folks, the median age is probably about 75 years old. This morning I was talking with them about perfection. Mr. Patrick looked at me and said, “Sugar, that is not even possible. I see you young folks lookin’ at those phones, takin’ all those pictures, you live your lives there. I am going to tell you this, when you get to my age you realize that what you want from life is to help others and promote peace. That is better than any old selfie or phone any day. You ain’t gonna find perfection no where on this earth. You are going to just have to strive to be better.” Wise words, Mr. Patrick. 

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The Quacktastic Adventures of Ellie and Lord Barks a Lot