“There are two things we should always be 1. raw and 2. ready.
When you are raw, you are always ready and
when you are ready you usually realize that you are raw.
Waiting for perfection is not an answer,
one cannot say "I will be ready when I am perfect"
because then you will never be ready,
rather one must say 'I am raw and I am ready
just like this right now, how and who I am.'”
-C. JoyBell C.
Granted, this quote sounds a little like the condition of sushi; however, I believe the wisdom in these words does not refer to consumption but to preparedness. I believe humans are products in the making, and productive beings remain "raw" until their last breath.
People who adopt perfection, either as a state of being or as a realistic goal, accept a self-defeating demeanor. They live false lives by worshipping the unattainable. The concept of perception stems from the Latin word perficio meaning "to finish" or "to bring to an and." I understand satisfaction may be an acceptable condition, yet maintaining contentment requires continual change.
The state of perfection denotes inaction and inaction breeds the stagnation of body and mind -- the human, in accepting his or her own perfection, would be a cold, stone sculpture, an inhuman form existing solely for the idolization of those who prefer fantasy.
The paradox -- that imperfection is perfect -- applies to humans and human affairs. Everyone desires to feel "perfect" at special times. The baseball pitcher who throws a no-hitter, the beautiful bride on her much-anticipated wedding day, the young child held in a loving mother's embrace, the two lovers seized by the emotion of soul-mated ecstasy -- all of these people bask in the brief glory of perfection. Yet, to continue an athletic career, to make a marriage work, to commit to the changing nature of love, humans must understand that imperfection is the true state of natural affairs and the condition of all things beautiful.
I believe striving toward perfection is a worthy goal as long as a person does so with raw humility. That person must reach for a dream with the knowledge that attaining the goal will not produce complete transcendence. The dream, in every likelihood, is significantly blemished and its attainment will not insure success or even desired favor. The lottery winner who foolishly blows his fortune, the rich man who marries a cheating "trophy wife," the devout follower of religion who loses a child to a terrible tragedy -- all found any semblance of perfection in life was not guaranteed in a natural world.
To be "ready" with all its connotations of foundation, preparation, willingness, adjustment, responsibility, and such, is quite a commitment. Still, to be ready never assumes perfection. In that respect, a person finds a certain degree of "rawness" to be acceptable within the terms of readiness to move into action. How many soldiers have gone into battle with raw courage? How many heroes have relied on their raw instincts to save lives? How many successful business people have counted on raw initiative to begin new ventures?
Without a raw, native nature, humans lack desire. They often miss opportunities that arise, and they limit their exposure as fear overtakes them. I personally believe passion and desire when applied with significant knowledge can produce desirable results. As a believer in imperfection, I find perfection in people, in art, and in all creation to be very bland and undesirable. The little "rough edges" of works draw attention and stimulate natural curiosities.
To me, the song or the woman or the scenery that screams "Perfection!" lacks the raw content of natural enhancement: the beauty of a degree of roughness of surface. I believe people are most attracted to that which incorporates the fault(s) in a contributing manner. In fact, sometimes what a person perceives to be fault may be inherently attractive. So, I think not only "waiting for perfection" but also "depending on perfection" is silly.
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