We are all imperfect. Thank God! Perfection would be a terrible burden. At times we have each carried that burden. We have tried to be the perfect wife, perfect daughter, perfect mother, perfect friend, perfect student, perfect athlete, perfect employee, perfect everything for everybody. Imagine how utterly exhausting it would be to try to be all those things. Even writing the list is tiring.
Yet so many times we think that other people are expecting, even demanding, that we be perfect. We certainly expect it of ourselves. I know that I have always said, “Good enough isn’t.” I still believe that “good enough” isn’t good. I have come to belive, though, that “try to do your best” is good. In fact, it is great, as long as you realize that “best” and “perfect” are not the same thing. Our best will always be imperfect. Hallelujah!
Realizing that perfection, except in extremely rare instances, is impossible is liberating. We don’t have to try to live up to an impossible ideal of the perfect me. Instead we can be the real me. Life is hard enough without wearing the yoke of the impossible.
Perfection as life’s goal is impossible. Think of the obstacles we face. All the people we interact with are imperfect. Everyone has problems every day. Some problems are huge, even life-threatening. Most problems are annoying, frustrating and often costly. Emotions surge through us constantly. We live with disappointments. We live with anger. Some days life can best be described as gears grinding against each other rather than passing smoothly.
There is no way we can be perfect living in an imperfect mind and body in an imperfect world. So, enough. Let’s just enjoy being ourselves and make happiness our goal.
Finding happiness in imperfection is a sacred gift. I wish you countless sacred gifts.
Tags: happiness, perfection, sacred, sacred gifts
We are all “fearfully and wonderfully made.” That is enough. We are what God intended us to be, to do what he intended us to do. He loves us unconditionally– warts, bad choices, and imperfections all.