A book called Perfection, was recently published. The author, Michael Hyde, teaches at Wake Forest University. I have not read the book yet, but did hear the author interviewed on NPR. The discussion covered a lot of territory and left me with some lingering thoughts. As human beings, we spend a lot of time striving to be the best at something. But what does it mean to be the best, and isn't there always another mountain to climb? Our constant striving can help us achieve some notable goals but can also make us stressed and sick. The ability to balance and to find beauty in the moment might help ease that constant yearning for the next best thing. Perfection looks at some of those ideas and gives a framework for our societal attitudes. So, here's a little poem about perfection:
I am perfectly pleased,
(well most of the time)
but once in awhile
I wish for the best
from myself,
from others,
from all of mankind.
Maybe I could be the smartest,
maybe I could know everything,
maybe I could right all the wrongs.
It would be nice to be perfect (sigh),
someday I might be,
right now I'll just sit and
sip sassafras tea.
Well, now, I think I'll do that too!
ReplyDeleteLong ago, I decided that perfection was very stressful and that life went better if one did not strive for perfection. At least, not often. I admire those who do, however. I think my karma is to not be perfect. :-)
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