Is Good Enough the New Perfect

True happiness...

 is not attained through self-gratification,

 but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.

-Helen Keller-

Who can create anything when only perfect is good enough ?

Once you acknowledge you aren't perfect and that your life isn't perfect after all

it becomes acceptable to simply be you in all your glorious imperfection.

Embracing imperfection is a kinder gentler way to live.

I haven't given up on my quest for excellence but...

 I'm a strong believer that going for 'good enough' leads to

 alot more  happiness than going for 'perfect'.

Being a commission sales person and a perfectionist is potentially lethal...LOL

Perfection is not attainable,

but if we chase it we can attain excellence.

-Vince Lombardi-

Have you ever tried to repair a glass vase or something equally precious that had fallen and smashed on the floor? Those hundreds of bits and pieces form an almost impossible puzzle and it is only through hours of patience and determination that you can almost repair the vessel. Once repaired, it is never the same as it was before. Water leaks through the cracks, edges are rough and uneven. This is because you are trying to restore the broken item to its original state which is impossible. The good news is that with a little creativity you can do so much more! Each little piece, when examined alone is seen for its own unique beauty. Together they can be used to build a new work of art, different to the first. I've seen beautiful art works where bits of glass were used to make mosaics, collages, mirrors, picture frames, and much more. Who could even tell what their original purpose had been?

 Would I have been that impressed with the glass chip when it was still part of a plate or window?

 Yet I marveled at its beauty as it hung proudly on a gallery wall.

In the past 24 months, I've had to pick up the pieces of a shattered life and recover from a some of the most painful moments in my life. One by one I held broken pieces up to the light, trying to figure out where they belonged. Turning them this way and that, I struggled to fit them back into their original places to restore the person I once had been. Every now and then I'd spot a glint of sunlight reflecting off a sharp shard and I'd throw it away. Then at times, I'd find a piece that was different and I'd realize that this little piece was lovely. After almost a year of fruitless effort, I've come to the realization that the person I once had been can never be restored to his original state. But God has blessed me with a unique opportunity to take all these lovely little pieces and to build someone new. Little bits and pieces of me, that were invisible in the past, are now given a chance to shine.

It is painful to have your life shattered and it may seem impossible to pick up those pieces. Sometimes we don't even know where to start. Any form of repair and reconstruction is a long process. But friends, know that it is also an opportunity to re-invent yourself to become the person you would like to be. It is a unique opportunity to look closely at the beautiful bits of you. To hold them up to the light and appreciate the way they shine. Don't waste time trying to rebuild the past, rather appreciate this wonderful gift and build a whole new future! One that you would proudly hang on a gallery wall.

-John Hall-