Lose Your Quit Quest 22

Step 22:  Give up perfect.

One of my favorite craft shows is Quilt in a Day with Eleanor Burns.  She's taught quilting for decades and her zany antics and gentle instruction make her fun to watch.  However, one thing she says incessantly during her demonstrations is the word "perfect."  She kind of draws it out like Julie Newmar as Catwoman on Batman.  Every time she says it, I cringe.  I've struggled for years to learn to quilt without much success.  If I ever successfully finish a quilt, it most likely won't be perfect.  So, will it really be successful?

But what would be considered a successful quilt?  Does it keep someone warm?  Is it being lovingly cuddled by a wee one?  Does it bring joy to both the maker and the recipient?  In other words, does the quilt fulfill it's purpose?  If the answer is yes, then for its purpose, that quilt is perfect.

In today's society, though completely subjective, perfect is often the only thing good enough:  the perfect body, the perfect food plan, the perfect workout for this particular problem, the perfect athletic shoe.  BUT what if that which isn't perfect better suits the purpose?  What if imperfect progress is good enough?  What would our lives look like if we didn't let someone else's perfect be our perfect?  We if we found God's individual plan for us and went by that?

I'll tell you what would happen:  behaviors like eating disorders, body dysmorphia, shaming, bullying, depression, and the general dissatisfaction or hatred most of us have about our bodies would be significantly diminished and we would learn to love ourselves where we are on the way to where we're going.

Well, what are you waiting for?   It's up to us to turn it around.  As Maya Angelou said, "Do what you can until you know better.  Then when you know better, do better."