Mind: Perfection

Today is Mon, Feb 27, 2012 or in the Baha'i calendar it is Kamal (Perfection), 2nd Day of Ayyam-i-Ha, 168BE -- and on this day of Perfection, I will share briefly some reflections on this word/characteristic.

Perfection is a virtue of God
Then why does it cause frustration?
Virtues open hearts and open doors
Then why does perfection create barriers?

This morning, my daughter sat at the kitchen table.
Marker in hand, ready to take on the paper
(or the back of a Junior Youth Group book as the case may have been)
She was to draw a girl -- a very specific girl
With a specific curve to her chin and forehead
Very straight hair that had a specific curve in her ponytail
With a very specific glance in her eyes
And the very first girl face she drew... she was pleased with
She called me over with such excitement in her eyes
She had drawn the outline of a girl's face of which she was actually pleased
There was one problem, she had drew this girl on the back of a Junior Youth Group book
I gently suggested that she try to recreate the girl on a piece of paper
Not knowing at the time, what a test/challenge I was presenting her with
A few minutes later I returned to that same daughter
That had been so filled with joy a few minutes ago
Completely distraught and frustrated
With about 15 or more imperfect ovals and attempts to draw hair
Spread across the page like lilypads on a still pond
Disappointment and frustration filled the air
These attempts to draw girls were far from perfect
And this child strives for perfection
Act, reflect, encourage, encourage, encourage.
Sound familiar? Perhaps to some.
Now came my test, it was so very important that I demonstrated patience
Perseverance, encouragement, and the waiver to failure
She asked me if I could draw a girl -- I told her it would't be perfect, was that ok?
And at first, she stated that it wasn't --  it was not ok to not be perfect...
But she came around and allowed me to 'do my best work.'
And a few minutes later, she did her best work also
Still disappointed, still somewhat sad.
I encouraged her to cut out the one she had put so much hard work into
And she instantly got a rush of joy in thinking she could gift it to someone at school
She eagerly cut out that little girl, wrote her name on the back,
And proudly took that imperfect girl to school with her
Having planned to hand it to a teacher that would come to school later in the day
She noticed the new girl, Lucy, playing on her own,
And decided to give it to her instead.

Perfection was not attained, but progress was made that morn.