Perfection

No one is perfect... that's why pencils have erasers. ~Rosalynn Carter

Like millions of other people around the world last night, I tuned into the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. Just as I have done for most of my life, I curled up soaking in the glittering surroundings, the extraordinary range of talent, the vast array of disciplines to master, the stunning gowns and the quality of excellence that permeates the evening. I don't believe I've ever met a person who hasn't, at least once in the lives, looked into the mirror, held their toothbrush and uttered the expression, "I'd like the thank the Academy....", in private. The Academy Awards represent the pinnacle of perfection to most of us. They offer us 'humble folk' the chance to peek in at an otherwise unseen world of glamor, drama, sophistication and consummating achievement. It's a night designed to recognize those individuals who have transcended the average and moved into pure precision of their crafts. I am always in awe...each and every year.

Yet despite the allure of Oscar night, I can't help but feel awkward for those who don't win. I cringe when the camera focuses on the panel of nominees and watches them plaster on 'good sport' smiles. The fact is, each one of them hopes to be the one taking the walk onto the stage to "thank the Academy". Each one has exceptional talent in their own right, and each one was passed over. It has to feel as if you lean forward off that carousel horse, reaching towards that brass ring with all your might....and feel that ring just slip by without being able to capture it. Do these performers wonder if they were less than perfect? Do these talented thespians ask themselves "Could I have done better?". It's a question each one of us asks ourselves every single day.

The pursuit of excellence and personal achievement has been ingrained into many of us from a very young age. I have had my days in which I have felt utterly confident that I have met every obstacle with passion and overcome each of them with sincerity. However, those days are few and far between. For the most part, I muddle along, making mistakes every step of the way. Instead of leaping over hurdles, I mentally think "Forget it", and turn around. Instead of feeling pride in the work I did, I see every error as if each one was painted with neon arrows that say "Loser!" in a computerized voice. I feel the failures in my heart deeply, particularly when I have let down those people I care most about. I don't wonder what my make-believe "Academy speech" would be; I can't even fathom how I'd be let in the metaphorical door with all of my imperfections. I find myself bogged down in regret, discouragement and misadventure.

Yet, there is something within each of us that inspires us to keep going. That magical, innate spark that dwells within, galvanizing us to pick ourselves up off the track of despair....and to progress forward. We find motivation in perseverance alone. We understand, metaphorically speaking, that sometimes it may be just about finishing the race, rather than emerging as the victor. In the words of St. Paul, in his letter to St. Timothy, "I have fought the good fight, I have run the good race, I have kept the faith." St. Paul did not emerge from his race with laurels, accolades or a golden statue. He was beheaded. Yet, he kept up his belief in the work that he did until the very end of his life...inspiring, extolling, exalting, chastening and motivating those around him. Was his life, and the impact St. Paul had on the entire world, any less because he was not lauded by his peers?

For those who are "heavy laden and weary" today, I offer you encouragement: no matter how intrepid and undaunted most people appear to be, we have all had our moments, or even our years, of doubt and fear. We have all wondered "Why do I even bother continuing to try?". We have plastered on that "good sport smile" when we least feel like it. We have fallen down, scraped up our knees but picked ourselves up with pluck and kept going, even when we know we have no chance at perfection. We can look around us and see dazzling men and women who have attained heights we can't begin to imagine. Yet, even the most secure of these people has had their own times of nervousness and reticence. Perfection is not about gold statues. It doesn't require a lack of mistakes or the absence of errors. Perfection doesn't mean feeling brave and heroic every instant. Perfection simply means finishing the race...with honor, with dignity, with humility, with faith and with temerity. Oscars to place on a mantel are a crowning achievement. However, keeping going, when you simply don't want to, is the true measure of success.