We have all made mistakes in our lives, ones we knew the instant we did them and others we knew our mistake much later. It is the combination of our mistakes and our triumphs and every day in between that define who we become. Dealing with the highs and lows, the middles and the mundane days is a long term game. Trying to live life for one day, one moment, one big event robs us of the multitude of experiences only a lifetime can provide.
The author of this quote, Jane Fonda, has had her share of big snafoos. She has huge fans and people who instantly frown the minute her name is uttered. Some people lived through her public mishaps and others only read about them as new items. Jane Fonda is eighty-two, who knew. She is still making movies, making people happy and angry, and still living her life to the fullest. She has found a way to learn from her mistakes and keep holding her head high. She isn’t going for perfect, she is going for whole.
None of us can ever hope to be perfect, the best we can shoot for is being whole. Whole meaning being true to ourselves, true to what we believe, true to what we can bring to the lives of others and true to putting our talents and skills to work each and every day. Perfect is unattainable and a goal that will drive you to insanity, or drive the people around you insane. Wholeness means we deal with dented edges, mistakes and wrong words, love the best we can AND work everyday to be a little bit better than the previous day.
I too often lean towards perfectionism and was glad that Jane Fonda reminded me to think of wholeness instead. I can do wholeness, I can live with that. My guess is that you can too.
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