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Wednesday, September 7, 2011

The Pursuit of Perfection

The year was 2008.

I, being the forgetful person that I've always known to be, have forgotten most of what had happened on that fruitful year. I'm going to tell you about about a conversation, but I've even forgotten what was the whol;e issue about in the first place.

Yes, I'm terrible.

I do, however, remember this:


"I know that we can never be perfect. But.......at least try to be."

I was being lectured. Like I'd said, I've forgotten what the whole thing was about. All I remember was that it was something bad. Something that memories of my life are better off without.

I remember sitting there in the study. Angry, frustrated. I gritted my teeth, clenching my teeth. My mother got up and left, leaving me to think about her strong and not-so-subtle statement.

Why? Why should I try to be perfect?

Why should I strive for something unachievable, something that would never come?

Why should I give myself an impossible goal, knowing that in the end, it will ultimately be a failure?

"Why am I searching for perfection? Knowing it's something I won't find...." 
-Linkin Park, No Roads Left

Yes, dear world, why should I be perfect?

3 years on, and I still remember that scene as well as I remember last week. It was an important moment in my life of sorts: It made me aware of one of man's greatest weaknesses, yet one of his greatest strengths.

The desire to be perfect.

The desire to be the strongest, the greatest. The desire to be as powerful as our Creator. And maybe, secretly, the desire to be better than everyone else.

Again, why?

Why do we have to better than everyone else? Why do we sometimes look at someone else and think, "I wish I was better than that guy," or worse, "These people are better than me...I wish I was perfect. Then I'll be better."

The answer? Unfortunately, it's our nature. In our blood.


I'm sorry, but you and I will never be perfect. We will always have weaknesses, shortcomings, that will prevent us from reaching that ever elusive goal. In short, we're not gonna make it happen.

Or will we?

You see, I've come up with this theory: we will probably never be perfect in a sense, as in being without flaws or defects. But if we were already created this way, then......aren't we perfect if we live ourselves to the fullest?

No, we'll never be able to reach our full potential. The human body, mind and spirit are powerful creations. However, if we live our live well and to the max, and try the best we can at everything, aren't we perfect already?

So, dear readers, I call for all of us, especially those who are still on the "path to perfection" to stop, lay back, and just be who we are:

Not Perfect, yet Complete.


Finally, my mother's "try to be perfect" is making some sense.

2 comments :

Emerlyn said...

I agree bro. I think that what you're blogging here is sensible and that life is all about perfection-rather it's about the flaws we make. I like to make sarcastic remarks because I think it's a way of not taking life too seriously, and also because I don't want to go about directly hurting anyone. (hint, this may be my Achilles heel yet ^^)

terencewang101 said...

Glad you agree. I think that too many have been on this "pursuit of perfection" too long, and not realising what it's doing to them. That's why I was urged to write about it.