The Illusion of Perfection

I am a perfectionist. In theory that should mean I pay close attention to detail and tweak every aspect of my work until I am satisfied with it. In practice it means I don't start anything for fear of producing something that isn't quite perfect. I can never finalize anything because everything falls short. If you are someone who can relate, there is something you should know.

Perfection is an illusion.
It is an imaginary construct that exists only in the world of mathematics (of course, we live in a world today that think it can explain everything in terms of equations). It deceives us into thinking that somewhere out there, there is one perfect job for you or one perfect soul mate. It has the potential to affect every aspect of life from finding the perfect way to pray to eating the perfect diet. For me it boxes my writing as I try to write the "perfect" essay on a subject.

The truth is that the world is not black and white or even shades of gray. It is full of color and flavor. Yeah, sometimes things end up tasting nasty. But no matter how hard you try, you'll never find the perfect flavor. God didn't create ration bars with the perfect taste and nutrition for us to eat--He created strawberries and melons and cucumbers and steaks and honey. He created variety and gave us freedom to eat from any tree we choose.

Ah, but you already know all that--you just want to make sure your work is mistake free, right? Again, it's an illusion. Back to food, what makes a sandwich mistake free? Is there some sandwich code you must adhere to? Is it simply a matter of avoiding the mustard? Perhaps it means putting on the lettuce before the turkey and never the other way around.

Really, when it comes down to it, there are only two questions to ask: Will your mouth like the taste of it and will your stomach accept it? In other words, will you find joy from it and is it within the moral standards of Torah?

Now it is up to you to decide how extravagant to go with each meal. But remember--this meal is not your last and you can't eat the same thing over and over again (I've tried...even peanut butter and jelly gets old after a while). Experiment, take risks, try something new. Don't worry too much about messing up. If you burn a couple lasagnas, that's ok (just try not to burn down the house).

The point is to never let the fear of imperfection keep you from chasing your dreams. Life is a journey and we are constantly changing and growing, falling and getting back up. The closest we can get to perfection is being true to ourselves today (oh, and staying within those Torah fences).