Late 19th / early 20th century author, Christian Morgenstern wrote, "Everything beautiful creates a thirst for even more perfect beauty and perfection."
Here's the thing, Herr Morgenstern - no, it doesn't. At least, it doesn't in me. I think this attitude is one of the traps of our consumerist society - we are never content with what we have. We are always thirsting after "even more".
But it is possible to refuse the bait, to step off the roundabout, to be content with what we already have. Which is beauty in abundance, all around us. Even sitting here in my bedroom, confined with Covid, I can look out of the window and see the beautiful shape of the tree in our garden, silhouetted against a glorious blue sky.
And you know what? That is enough for me. It doesn't make me immediately long for different views, more beauty. I take it into my mind and heart and appreciate the beauty right in front of me.
I believe that perfectionism is an evil which never allows us to be content with the "enough" all around us. I'm a great believer in "good enoughism". I'll do my best (and I do have pretty high standards) BUT once I have done my best, I let it go and submit it, send it (whatever *it* might be) out into the world.
Appreciating what we have and not always striving after elusive perfection is a perfect (ha!) recipe for happiness and contentment.
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