“Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.” — Unknown
Many years ago when I was not yet 20 I was living in Germany with a cousin and saw that there was a “beginners ballet” class at a local studio. I thought “I’m a beginner,” so I arrived with no experience wearing sweats and tennis shoes. I soon realized my folly, as everyone else was dressed in ballet attire. Half of the class was in German and the other half was in French. I felt like I was in an “I Love Lucy” scene and I was Lucy, the bumbling overweight American girl who had no idea what was going on or what she was doing. Perhaps I was there that day to help someone else in the class feel better about themselves? Perhaps ballet just wasn’t for me.
Many years later, I hosted a surprise party. The surprise was my own as I realized that I had unknowingly agreed to host a party. Friends kept saying “see you Saturday!” I realized what I had done but it was too late. I was working all day Saturday at a busy day spa with barely a moment to pee much less clean my house. People arrived, brought food and beverage, and hung out in my small, messy home. There was joy, stories, laughter, and a great evening of hanging out with friends. Everyone had a great time. No one complained about my housekeeping. I’d like to think that I gave people permission to host a party imperfectly that day. That you don’t have to wait until things are perfect to invite people over, because perfect never happens.
Perfection is an ideal that doesn’t exist in this real, beautiful, messy world. There is a joy in good enough.