Perfectly Imperfect

I have this sort of strange habit, (not so strange if you know me) of picking up leaves in the fall. Especially the perfectly colored and shaped leaves. There's a part of me that wishes I could hold onto them forever; maybe because they warm me to my core, maybe even because sometimes I find their radiance completely overwhelming, or maybe they nurture my growth just as much as the ground they've fallen on.

Yesterday I dropped Sweets off at the daycare and then went to the library. As I was walking back to my car there was a beautiful red leaf laying right outside my door. Of course, I picked it up and somehow held onto it as I got into my car with my large pile of library books. I set it down in the usual place I set leaves down and started driving home. At a stop light I picked it up to have a closer look. I looked at it I realized it wasn't perfect at all. With my first glance it had a brilliant red and looked as if all of it's points were still intact. In the process of getting into the car I had not realized it was missing a few tips and it actually had a large crack running through it. I set it back down and continued my drive home, but not without a whirlwind of thoughts about this particular leaf.  What is the definition of perfect anyways?

Having no mistakes or flaws.

There was a reason I'd picked up this imperfection. It was a reminder that nothing is ever perfect. NOTHING, and NO ONE. I know, I know, this is not news to anyone, but we have to remind ourselves it's okay to have flaws, be quirky, have missing tips, and huge cracks right down our centers. People may pick us up, assuming we are what you might call "perfect", but as time goes on they will realize we're not. Here's the catch, it's what you do with your imperfections that matters. It's how you keep them, or don't keep them. I'm finding there are things to let go of and most of the time we should not hold onto anything. Even our perfections. When we cling to them we set ourselves up for disappointment. We can not hold on to those perfect moments hoping to get them back again for they are a "passing moment gone."

Remember to learn from your mistakes; they are really just lessons. Never forget to let go of your imperfections. Sometimes it's really not worth trying to fix them or become perfect.....life's too short to be worried about all these things. Live, be happy, and most of all, LOVE. Love your imperfections as much as you love yourself....without them, you would be someone else.