Posted by TerryS (24.24.79.72) on October 28, 2000 at 16:42:22:
GIVING UP PERFECTION
One of the hardest lessons I have ever had to learn in this life
is that we can’t make things
perfect. You see, I was raised like the rest of us on far too many
stories ending in, “and they lived
happily ever after.” I grew up expecting some conflict and struggle I
guess, but I always seemed
to think that in the end my troubles would be overcome and that I would
live happily ever after.
Life doesn’t work like that, though. Troubles, pains, conflicts,
and struggles don’t end at
some point in our lives. We don’t get the reward of a perfect life for
being so good ourselves.
Relationship problems, financial troubles, sickness and disease
continue and must be dealt with
throughout all of our lives. Life it seems is not perfect and never
will be no matter how much we try to make it so.
Not only is life imperfect, but we are as well. We are all human
beings and we all make
mistakes. We all have flaws and faults in our personalities. We will
never
be perfect in this life
either. No matter how hard we try we will not be perfect and no matter
how hard we try we will
not find that perfect someone who will make our own lives perfect.
What can we do then? What can we do once we give up on life being
perfect, other people
being perfect, and ourselves being perfect? What can we do once we
give up on waiting for
“Happily ever after”? Well I for one was able to relax. I was able to
relax and just choose joy
and love day by day and moment by moment. I was able to relax and
choose peace and happiness
one day at a time instead of worrying about ever after. I was able to
give up the anger, guilt, and
depression that not being perfect brings. Remember, life may never be
perfect, but it can be very
happy if you choose to make it so. Relax then and enjoy this wonderful
life God has given you.
-- Joseph J. Mazzella