giving kids the roots to help them sprout
Contemplating Perfection...
If someone stopped me on the street corner and asked me to describe my own personal “prefect scenario” I am not sure what I would say; let me give it a try:
*Some “Me time” that doesn’t include Bob the Builder, diapers or homework?
*A healthy portion of amazingly delicious desserts that will not show themselves on my scale the next day?
*A shirt that lasts all day with not an ounce of someone else’s bodily fluid sprayed, spit or flung on it?
*A day where I do not have to utter the words, “Can you please STOP it?!” to each of the children, the dog and my husband?
*One solid, straight-through-till-morning, back-pain-free sleep?
*A hammock, my favorite magazine, a bit of chocolate, a drink with an umbrella and hours on end to enjoy it all. Oh, and the waiter to serve me, the maid to clean the stains from my shirts, the masseuse for my aching back and the Nanny to say, “Can you please stop it?” for me?
That’s it. That’s what I would say! Michelle Kemper Brownlow has defined her vision of perfection, for today. It will change tomorrow.
Isn’t that how it goes, though? We spend years of our lives striving for something- a bigger house, a better job, more money, an empty nest- only to find what we waited so long for doesn’t feel as good as we thought it would after all.
When we find ourselves stuck in this rut of misconception, we need to sit down and contemplate perfection. My ‘perfect’ scenario sounds good and by golly it would feel good but it truly isn’t my idea of true perfection. It honestly changes everyday. Knowing that that is OK, is quite freeing.
Society will tell us that fame, fortune and the perfect body ranks right up there on the “perfection” list but then I see poor souls like Lindsay Lohan, Michael Vick and Britney Spears as I scan the channels. If that’s what perfection looks like, keep it! I want no parts of it.
The business world will tell you that dual salaries and a well-over six-figure income will fulfill your heart’s every desire. I look at the looming divorce rates of those who are fueled by the hunger for “more” and swiftly turn my back on the idea that any of them have found anything worth calling perfection.
I read an article this week in Hallmark Magazine (thanks, Mom!) called “Letting Go of Perfect.” The gist of the article by Karen Houppert is to embrace your own perfection, not someone else’s idea of it and let that idea change from day to day.
Today, my idea of true perfection may be spending an hour in a blanket-tussled bed that hasn’t been made for days with my husband and three children as they giggle listening to stories we have told a million times. After a busy day of church, home improvements and chasing the baby at a family reunion, my husband’s idea of perfection would most likely be similar to mine although he would prefer the bed neatly made with hospital corners. But sometimes close-enough-to-perfect is just as beautiful.
In a world where even the food in a magazine has a stylist, we need a reality check every day. Sit down and make a list, I mean it – get out your paper...find a pen! Jot down everything in life that resembles perfection.
My list goes something like this:
· the sound of my children giggling even if it is at my expense
· birds chirping in the morning before anyone but me is awake
· a good cup of coffee
· feeling how much someone loves me just by the way he looks at me
· and my list goes on…
By looking at life in the simple terms we identify on our list of “perfects” makes perfection so much easier to achieve. Imagine a week of perfect days. It’s up to you to change your idea of perfect and choose to live your life in perfection redefined.
You get what you set your sights on. You only see what you look for. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinions; it is easy in solitude to live after your own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”
It’s your turn…contemplate your own idea of perfection.
PEACE OUT. PASS IT ON.
*Some “Me time” that doesn’t include Bob the Builder, diapers or homework?
*A healthy portion of amazingly delicious desserts that will not show themselves on my scale the next day?
*A shirt that lasts all day with not an ounce of someone else’s bodily fluid sprayed, spit or flung on it?
*A day where I do not have to utter the words, “Can you please STOP it?!” to each of the children, the dog and my husband?
*One solid, straight-through-till-morning, back-pain-free sleep?
*A hammock, my favorite magazine, a bit of chocolate, a drink with an umbrella and hours on end to enjoy it all. Oh, and the waiter to serve me, the maid to clean the stains from my shirts, the masseuse for my aching back and the Nanny to say, “Can you please stop it?” for me?
That’s it. That’s what I would say! Michelle Kemper Brownlow has defined her vision of perfection, for today. It will change tomorrow.
Isn’t that how it goes, though? We spend years of our lives striving for something- a bigger house, a better job, more money, an empty nest- only to find what we waited so long for doesn’t feel as good as we thought it would after all.
When we find ourselves stuck in this rut of misconception, we need to sit down and contemplate perfection. My ‘perfect’ scenario sounds good and by golly it would feel good but it truly isn’t my idea of true perfection. It honestly changes everyday. Knowing that that is OK, is quite freeing.
Society will tell us that fame, fortune and the perfect body ranks right up there on the “perfection” list but then I see poor souls like Lindsay Lohan, Michael Vick and Britney Spears as I scan the channels. If that’s what perfection looks like, keep it! I want no parts of it.
The business world will tell you that dual salaries and a well-over six-figure income will fulfill your heart’s every desire. I look at the looming divorce rates of those who are fueled by the hunger for “more” and swiftly turn my back on the idea that any of them have found anything worth calling perfection.
I read an article this week in Hallmark Magazine (thanks, Mom!) called “Letting Go of Perfect.” The gist of the article by Karen Houppert is to embrace your own perfection, not someone else’s idea of it and let that idea change from day to day.
Today, my idea of true perfection may be spending an hour in a blanket-tussled bed that hasn’t been made for days with my husband and three children as they giggle listening to stories we have told a million times. After a busy day of church, home improvements and chasing the baby at a family reunion, my husband’s idea of perfection would most likely be similar to mine although he would prefer the bed neatly made with hospital corners. But sometimes close-enough-to-perfect is just as beautiful.
In a world where even the food in a magazine has a stylist, we need a reality check every day. Sit down and make a list, I mean it – get out your paper...find a pen! Jot down everything in life that resembles perfection.
My list goes something like this:
· the sound of my children giggling even if it is at my expense
· birds chirping in the morning before anyone but me is awake
· a good cup of coffee
· feeling how much someone loves me just by the way he looks at me
· and my list goes on…
By looking at life in the simple terms we identify on our list of “perfects” makes perfection so much easier to achieve. Imagine a week of perfect days. It’s up to you to change your idea of perfect and choose to live your life in perfection redefined.
You get what you set your sights on. You only see what you look for. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinions; it is easy in solitude to live after your own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”
It’s your turn…contemplate your own idea of perfection.
PEACE OUT. PASS IT ON.
Add a Comment
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Comment by Nicole John on November 1, 2008 at 8:50am - Awesome post! I think this is a good one to read every morning to help set my prespective for the day. It is all about the small things. I spent some great time wth my youngest this morning and making him laugh. When my oldest son tlells me out of the blue "I love you, Mommy!" I agree with Farmer's Wife - feeling producive and achieving more than I set out to do in a day. Having a clean kitchen. Spending the day together as a family without worrying about chores, just having fun! There are probably some more, but that is good for now.
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Comment by Farmer's Wife/Glass_Half_Full on October 30, 2008 at 3:49pm -
This is such a sweet post! Like a page from my book? Or, maybe I took a page from your book as this is your blog! :-)
I think today is one of my perfect days! Even, though things have changed (and I don't do well with spontaneity unless I've planned that time for spontaneity) but, I'm okay with everything. And, in a few minutes I will be on my way to pick up my youngins and am hopeful the ride home will be giggly and not cranky and arguing.
I revel in the little things of the days. Beautiful weather, health, happy children, listening to them read, a smooch from the DH in the morning and upon returning home in the evening...
A really funny episode of one of my favorite shows!
A great hair day!!! (Today, squeeeee!!)
When the kids play together sweetly and help each other out
Compliments on my work/self from the DH
Feeling productive
Achieving more than I set out to
Bringing sentiment, smiles and laughter to those I care about? And, those I don't know
Having a ton on my plate and getting it all done -- better than par ;-)
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Comment by Lis Garrett on October 30, 2008 at 7:55am -
My idea of "perfection" changes on a daily basis, too. For instance, today it includes:
having a fun time while I'm a parent helper at my daughter's preschool
doing a load of laundry
baking several batches of pumpkin muffins for my kids' school parties tomorrow
making sure my kids know exactly where their Halloween costumes and accessories are in preparation for tomorrow
finding the time to get on the treadmill and do yoga
resisting tempting snack foods
making a healthy dinner
completing my work for Root & Sprout and my writing job at a reasonable hour so that I may spend some quality time with my husband before falling asleep on the couch
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