The Perfect Nature of Imperfection

So many of us strive so hard to be perfect, but what is perfection really? The dictionary defines it as “excellent or complete beyond practical and theoretical improvement.” If we subscribed to this theory, then we would have to be akin to gods in order to fit the definition. While it’s easy to sit there, nod our heads, and say we understand the impossibility of perfection, we still are perfectionists, at least in individual pursuits, even if it kills us.

I remember a girl I knew once who claimed to never have made a mistake. She said she had no regrets, and while that may have well been true, that does not negate that she did indeed make mistakes, and will continue to make mistakes. It’s the glory of being human, to err, but in learning from those mistakes we grow as people. By denying those mistakes, she is not growing, but regressing. Of course when I espoused this belief to her, she denied it, saying she was “enlightened.” I left it at that.

What’s the difference between striving for perfection and knowing you will never get there, so trying your best to be the most perfect you? The second is achievable. If you look back at the definition of perfect, you’ll see that you can be a more perfect version of yourself. Meaning, you can be a better person, both practically and theoretically, without sacrificing the knowledge that you will never be the BEST person, because that person does not exist, and never can. But in the journey, you can learn and grow.

So what do we do with that knowledge and acceptance? We appreciate the perfect nature of imperfection, because imperfection always allows for error and change for the positive. Learning takes time and energy, though, and too many people want to just skip to the moral of the story, the lesson learned, that can only come through taking the journey. It is only when we understand that we will never be perfect, that we can enjoy and appreciate our imperfection for what they are. Gifts.

Sam