Purely innocent is a combination of words that can be used to describe nature; but let’s face it: nature has quite the sense of humor. Solely through the contortion of trees, the uniqueness of wildlife, or the absurdness of brush, the world around us provides a more whimsical perspective on our seemingly bland surroundings. Think about it, when you look at a tree, have you ever seen one that is perfect, through and through? There is always that one branch. This one leaf. That funky stem. The list goes on. In fact, there are moments when the environment looks so dilapidated we start to pity the sour luck of Mother Nature. We start to say things like “well that’s strange”. Sometimes we even laugh because nature looks so unreal. But allow me to pose a question; what defines these unique qualities as imperfections? Are not our views of nature imperfect? Have we not witnessed the fact that nothing natural is ever flawless? What if this is the way it was made to be?
In our modern-day culture, we are enticed to believe that perfection can be achieved. In fact, we are fooled into thinking this. We are cornered into a bottomless abyss in which we fall when we try to be perfect. Why is this? What even is perfect? Can perfect even exist? The short answer is actually no. Perfection is the ideal scenario depicted from our own, personal vision. Perfection looks different for each person, meaning it cannot be placed into a box. It cannot be defined. So why is it that we aim to be something that varies and changes? Something that we can never put our finger on? If we strive to become something that never stays the same, we find ourselves changing as perfection changes. We lose ourselves in the process. Our minds become entwined with ideas that seem too good to be true and we become those ideas for fear that if we do not we will mess up. Friends, are you hearing me? Are you seeing this clearly?
What most people often forget is that each time we mess up, there is another that does the same. Maybe our scenarios look different, maybe the minor details and the fine print do not match to a “t”. They do not have to. It does not matter in the long run. What DOES matter is who we are. Why do we get lost on a path that doesn’t even exist? The path to perfection is not defined because it does not exist. There is no path. There is no way to reach what cannot be. Nothing is perfect. Nobody is perfect. So why walk the path in hopes you will “fail less” and risk losing yourself? Do you wish to deprive yourself of the joy of being human? Do you wish to become the boring tree, the one with no movement?
It’s time to purify ourselves of perfection. It is not needed. There is no use reaching for something that cannot be reached. There is no purpose in bending over backward in order to “look better”. I’m about to give you a reality check, friend. You don’t look better when you try to be perfect. You look lost. The happiest people on the planet have grown to understand that there is nothing wrong with making mistakes as long as you are being yourself. Did any of your favorite influencers get to where they are because they tried to live up to a standard? Were any of those people remembered long after they stopped singing, acting, dancing, cracking jokes, for their flawlessness? Quite possibly they were appreciated because of their distinct and very feasible ability to appear nonetheless spotless on camera. But behind the scenes these people are humans. They showed a bit of themselves and realized they didn’t need to be anyone else. They did not need to be the symmetrical trees in the forest. They could be the trees that contorted off to one side, those that looked disproportional. It didn’t matter. As long as they were authentically true to them. And the same goes for you.
People want pure, not perfection. As long as you stay true to yourself, the right people will show you your purpose. You’ll find your way. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you have to work to be picture perfect. There is no such thing. Stand tall and embrace your bends. They are meant to be there. They are not even comparable to another’s. Before we depart, let me leave you with one last reference. When you buy something like bottled water at the store, do you want the aesthetic packaging with the sucky water? Or do you want the bottle that looks like it went through hell and back but contains the purest water? If you pick the aesthetic packaging with the sucky water, you’re picking the perfect over pure. It will set you up for disappointment.
I challenge you to open up your bottle. One that’s been through a lot. One that has seen pain. One that hurts. Allow people to see your heart. It’s refreshing. And most importantly, it belongs to only one.
You.
Comments