Why Give Up on Perfection
Myquillyn Smith’s book, The Nesting Place, is a concept I appreciate. She begins by encouraging us to forget about perfection saying, “Things don’t have to be perfect to be enjoyable …. There is no wrong way to create joy in your home, in your life.”
Aren’t those great words of wisdom?
Then she adds: "Most of us simply need to learn to see the beauty in the imperfect. Because life is gloriously messy."
I couldn't agree more. Returning from a rain-drenched trip to the grocery store, I came home to the toilet running. I jiggled the lever without success. Next, I tried lifting the lid to check the stopper. Not go so far. Out the corner of my eye, I see my wet coat dripping onto the floor where I tossed it across the chair as I came in the door in a hurry.
But there's not time to mop up the messy puddle ...
... the washing machine is thumping, doing an out-of-control vibrating dance as the spin cycle gears up from an off-balanced load.
Racing to re-position the load of towels in the washing machine, I spy a forgotten clip clothespin poking out from under the chair. Ah, memories of another mess when the grandkids were here yesterday.
Bending to pick it up, I discover more remnants of another glorious mess ... balloon war rubber fragments from the popping demise of defeat.
Yes! Life is gloriously messy, ... and imperfect.
The #1 reason to give up on perfection in your home:
Imperfection can be an enjoyable and beautiful place.
It took me returning to college and studying art to let go of always wanting to have the perfect house, be the perfect homemaker, always please others. Click here for the entire story, my memoir: A Lone Birch, My Artistic Journey.
I hope you have a way of exploring your personality so you can appreciate all the 'messes' life hands you, and then be brave enough to see the beauty in these realities of life.
Yes, brave. I think it takes guts to have the confidence to smile at what other's may think of you. Be strong enough that if the doorbell rings and you still have Christmas decorations up in late January, that's okay.
Myquillyn Smith has it right: