Where Did You See Perfection Today?
Where did you see perfection today? You may have not been aware of seeing it at all. It’s always all around us, but I’ve noticed that sometimes I can see it clearly, and sometimes, it seems to be completely absent.
How much perfection I’m able and willing to see instantly tells me what sort of state of mind I’m in. It’s like a compass for me. The more perfection I see, regardless of where I look, the higher my state of mind. That’s my True North, and it tells me I’m not getting in my own way.
When I look at everything around me and can only see what’s wrong, or incomplete, or could be improved, that’s my compass pointing away from North, letting me know I’m in a low mood and am likely to get in my own way. Knowing that, I’m much less likely to take those judgments, or any of my thinking at that moment, seriously.
I have a long history as a perfectionist
I have a long history as a perfectionist. I was sure my perfectionistic tendencies were justified, and that the high standards I had gave me a good deal more than they cost me.
What those standards really did was to blind me to the perfection that surrounded me, which might as well not have been there. And since my thinking told me that it was my job to make everything perfect, that became my world.
The word “perfect” can’t be described as the way something is supposed to be, because that reduces perfection to a theoretical ideal that can never be attained.
Perfection might be described as letting something be what it is
Perfection might be described as letting something be what it is. In other words, it’s seeing the completeness of something as it is. That’s the only perfection in the world both you and I live in.
When we’re talking about perfectionism, the big, hairy question that wants to be asked is, “Whose version of perfect are we talking about?” Is it the version I’ve made up in my head, the one that disrespects or ignores what’s already here, and already complete? Or is it the version that life is offering up?
In other words, is it the version that can only exist in theory, as an ideal? Or is it the version of perfection that’s already right here, waiting to be seen? If I believe the version that tells me it’s up to me to make things perfect, then in effect I’m attempting to live in a parallel universe, one made up of my idea of perfection. But I can’t really live there, can I?
That’s not to say I’m suggesting everyone stop trying to do things better, or improve what’s already here. But I’ve noticed that when I’m willing to take a look at something, or someone, and really see what’s there, instead of rushing to judgment or thinking I already know what I’m looking at, I’m much more likely to have perfection revealed to me.
So it comes down to this: how much perfection would you like to see in your life? If what you really want is to see more perfection, you’ll be able to see it if, you’re a bit patient with yourself and remember that it’s already there, waiting to be seen.
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