Seeing Fully

To me the question is - Why perfection?

The quest for 'perfection' as a spiritual practice or from a space to serve those who stand to benefit from the perfection is very different from being perfect because one 'should' be perfect.

One of my mentors had to write a referral letter for me for a very competitive fellowship - he spent hours crafting it. For someone of his stature, it wasn't something that would take too long - and yet he worked on it. In fact, he spent more time on that one recommendation letter than we did on our entire application!

He is no more - but when I reminiscence about him, the realization was that the quest for making the perfect letter was integral to him. Not perhaps as much for me or for the letter, but just because his way of being and doing was dedicated to perfection.

But then there is the bigger picture too.

I remember meeting a veteran environmental activist. I asked him what was the crux of what he learnt, what does the environmental movement needs?

He said - I don't know if your or my actions will add to anything meaningful. But meanwhile, enjoy the journey.

In the bigger picture, who knows what our actions will add up to? What I can say for sure is that working for excellence is working on purifying myself.

 
Addiction to perfection is good when you inventing. However drawing a balance is everyday life and routine chores is a potential of disorder...imperfaction can beautiful too! Love and enjoy every moment....and create.

The love, and dedication of building that wall was enough. In life  In Gods eyes he saw just that. Perfection s not all straight lines, its exceptance of that which is not perfect.     

 Wabi sabi. In Japan, wabi sabi is a term used for the practice of accepting imperfection. I know it through ceramic work. The "imperfections" that are naturally a part of anything a human being undertakes are the mark of each creator. It's about the human experience and the journey, an expression of where we are, rather than aspiring to a perfect end. A "prefect" pot by Western standards is of no value in Japan, as the Japanese would be wondering where, in that pot, is the potter?

 Love this! _/\_

 
Someone once told me that the definition of an "expert"  is someone who has been doing it (whatever) longer than most others and has learned from his/her mistakes. Now I'm not saying that an expert is a perfectionist; I'm just saying he loves his work and keeps trying to do it better than before. If we truly believe in something, we want to do it better.  I believe that wolves enhance our ecosystems and science is proving that.  After wolves were re-introduced in the Northwest nearly a generation ago, aspen, cottonwood, willow and other vegetation eaten down by elk are returning. But in the state where I live, the economy and government is dominated by ranchers, outfitters and the like.  They consider wolves to be vermin and are trying to kill every last one. I have been working for several years to educate people in my state about the benefits wolves bring.  It's a bit like Sisyphous's rolling the rock up the hill,but I will continue to look for better ways to do it because I truly believe we are better off with wolves than without them. However, I am fairly certain this struggle will continue past my life time. I do not know if balance will be achieved. I can only keep working toward it in the best ways I can find.