Recently, while the sun warmed my face and I dug out the garden, I was thinking about perfection. 

About how paralyzing our need for perfection can be and what a shame and waste of a beautiful gift, or dare I say life, that is.    How many creative sparks dye in the glaring, unkind light of perfection.

About how sometimes folks don’t make or create a thing because they fear they won’t be able to make it perfect or they allow their fear minds to take over and completely block their ability to do a thing with the “I can’ts”.

Or how sometimes the people in my classes won’t wear the thing they’ve made because it has the wavy hems or how they may be dreaming of a garment to make/wear but don’t think they can pull it off.  Like their body isn’t right. 

One of my favorite lessons I learned from the venerable Julie Child went something like this….if you make other people a meal, never apologize for it.    And while that may seem to be about other people, it’s really about honoring in yourself what you have done and what you have learned and giving your effort respect.   

Because that apologizing isn’t about them, it’s about our fear that we aren’t good enough.

Give your effort respect. 

Do that thing imperfectly, love your imperfect body…all we have is right now.  There’s no time to waste on “someday, when”.  And each one of us deserves to wear what we love, make what we love and feel pride and joy in those imperfect efforts…and to have the bravery to just do it.

Wear that wonky t-shirt with pride (I’m guessing no one sees it’s imperfections but you anyway…).  Give your tilting, hand-built mug to your mama for Mother’s day (yes, I know you’re in your 40’s…all the better!) 

That thing you’ve been dreaming of doing?  The one that puts you out in front of the world.   You have what you need right this moment, do it now, make mistakes, and laugh at them with tenderness and grace.    Learn and begin again!

Because when you do, it gives us ALL permission to be our perfectly, imperfect selves.    And that might be the most important thing we can do for one another.

Let’s shine our lights no matter how imperfectly…shall we?

Who’s with me?

In Kinship

Tina