TheArtofImperfection
佚名/Anonymous
Thoughweallagreethattoerrishuman,eachofusbelievesthatsheistheexception.We』resupposedtobeperfect(Wewerealsosupposedtoberichandfamous.).
Butlearningfromourmistakes—andacceptingourplain—oldaverageness—isanart.Sonexttimeyoubreakaplateorloseyourkeys,whynottakeitinstride?Considerthepossibilitythatthereisahiddenpatternbehindthemistakesinyourlife.
1.Theartofbeingneitherrichnorfamous
Inordertobeperceivedasspecialanddifferent,celebritiestodaystrivetoshunthelimelightandbecomeaveragefolks.(Admitit:Don』tyouloveknowingthatSharonStoneshopsattheGap?)Butregardlessofhowmuchmoneytheyhaveinthebank,orhowmuchofabuzztheycreatewhentheyshowupatacluborcharityball,famousfolkswillneverbeabletoenjoythelifeyouandIcherish.Small,reassuringpleasuresareoff-limitstothem.Youneverseethemborrowingbooksfromthelibrary,lingeringinacoffeeshoporwindowshoppingonMainStreet.
Oneofthesaddestthingsaboutacquiringfameandfortuneisthatonceyourealizeyouhaveplenty,youmaywantplentymore.Often,lifeisnolongerasgoodasitgets.Youneversay,「Enoughalready」.
Theonlydifferencebetweenawisemanandafoolisthatthewisemanknowsheisafool.Inthesameway,theonlydifferencebetweenanextraordinarylifeandanordinaryoneistheextraordinarypleasuresyoufindinordinarythings.
2.Befoolishinpublic
Honestandgullible,trustingyetreckless,playfulbutinsecure:Thesearewhatittakestobesilly.Itisusuallytheresultofacombinationofoursterlingqualitiesandourquirkypersonalitytraits.Wearetruertoourselveswhenwestopmakingsense.Unlikestand-upcomicswhosetouttobefunnyandgethecklediftheyarenotsillypeoplebecomelovablesimplybyembracingtheroleoftheotherguy,thecharacterwhobumpsintowallsandshowsupatpartieswithsocksthatdon』tmatch.
Sonexttimeyouarecaughttalkingtoyourselfinanelevator,don』tapologize.Thesilentgratitudeyougeneratewhenyourevealyourmostvulnerablesidetoothersiswellworththetemporaryblush.
Flauntingyourflaws,notyourcleverness,iswhatwillmakeyoupopularwithyourfriends.
3.Findmeaninginyourmistakes
Inartandarchitecture,whatappearstobeagoofisoftenadeliberatesignalmeanttodrawattentiontoaparticularaspectofthework.InIslamicart,forinstance,smallflawsaboundinwhatlooklikethemostluxuriouscarpets,potteryandmosaics.ArtistsareurgedtopurposelymakemistakestoremindadmiringobserversthatGodaloneisperfection.
Inmusic,notesthatdeviatefromanestablishedpatternareoftenusedtocreateemotionaltension.Inthe「FuneralMarch」ofhisThirdSymphony,Beethovenreplacedsoundswithsilencestoexpressthemountingsenseofsorrowinthepiece.Inliterature,JamesJoycewasthechampionoftheintentionalerror.ForJoyce,mistakeswere「portalsofdiscovery.」InUlysinparticular,typos,misspellingsandabsenceofpunctuationaddtotheinsightfulnessofhisprose.
Takeamomenttowonderattheuniquenessofthemistakesyouareabouttomake.
4.Askforhelp
Weallneedtoberemindedfromtimetotimethatweprobablydon』thavewhatittakestosolvealltheproblemsoftheworld.Butwearewonderfullyequippedtomarvelatitsexistence.Tothisend,wemustgetridoftheideathatweareindispensable.