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The Perfect and the Good

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The perfect is the enemy of the good.
- Voltaire


This time of year, it's easy to be brought to despair by idealized visions of The Perfect Christmas, The Perfect You (New Years' resolutions being just around the corner), and The Perfect Creative Effort (with book/movie award nominations zooming about the lofty heights).

The problem is, over-striving toward some extrinsically-based ideal pulls us out of living in the moment of baking broken-legged reindeer cookies (which taste so sweet when fumbled by a child's stubby fingers), enjoying the squeezably-zaftig body of a mature woman rather than a starvation-stunted prepubescent, and taking characters you love through a story that you breathe.

So on this chilly winter's day, trying setting up a queendom within the borders of your own space... a place where YOU shape the perfect holiday, the standards of beauty, and judge the merit of your work by how much fun you had with its creation. You might even find that you enjoy the place so much you never want to venture outside into the brutal world.
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Anne Marie Novark said…
So true, Colleen. So true.

Perfectionism ain't all it's cracked up to be.

Happy Holidays!!!

AM :)
6:12 PM
Christie Craig said…
Hi Colleen,

Thanks for the great post.

Christie (Taking a deep breath and thinking about decorating the tree.)
9:25 AM
TJ Bennett said…
Timely post. I gave up the idea of perfection today after my 3rd migraine this week.

Instead of cleaning out my office for my visiting sister to stay in for Christmas because I spent too much on a full-sized airbed that won't otherwise fit in there--I bought an elevated twin size airbed today at Wal-Mart. No having to move any furniture out, and that is worth the 50 bucks, even if the kids have to eat Mac & Cheese for a few days. :-)

TJB
7:34 PM
Colleen Thompson said…
Thanks, everyone. And I've just proved my own point by baking a seriously-imperfect b-day cake for my son rather than buying a far more beautiful version.

It's the thought that counts, right?

Hope you feel better, TJ, and you got your tree up, Christie.
12:19 PM
Jo Anne said…
Those who know me, know I'm late - for most everything. With a birthday in early December - that holds true for Christmas, too.

But I traveled this weekend to see the ex-in-laws. My nephews were in - from work in LA and college in AZ - and we had a blast playing games and laughing at old family jokes. Who cares if I'm still wrapping for my Houston family on Christmas morning? And how much fun is it to have a new kitty to make wrapping a challenge and to destroy the bows!

Good advice, Colleen - and I think the reason I'm late for things is because I'm very good at 'enjoying the moment!' :-)

Merry Christmas!
8:53 AM
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