The Perfect Post

This may not be the "perfect" post... but it is a post about the word 'perfect.'  I liked the title- because it made me think of this picture that I found-

Take a few minutes and say it all 7 ways...  out loud.  I did.  Several times.  :)

I was thinking about the  word 'perfect'  last weekend. Apparently, I use it A. LOT.  I think I first became aware of this last year as I was having one of my little girls take a picture of me in an apron that my sweet friend Betty made for me.  I wanted Betty to see it on me, because I wear it a lot at school, and my children love it. My newest little student wanted to be in the picture with me, so that was great.    My little sweetie took one picture and said, "Perfect." That picture looked like I was doing pirouettes in a tornado, so I had her try again.  "Perfect," she said.  Again- a blur.  Once more- and we had it.  "Perfect!"

My favorite part of this moment, was that I actually heard myself coming right back at me.  I realized that every time I take a picture of the class, I say, "Perfect!"  It isn't because everyone is smiling just right, or even looking remotely in the right direction, but that I have captured that exact moment for what it is.

This past weekend as my daughter was getting ready for her wedding, I heard her say, "Perfect," so many times- and every time it just made me smile. I don't even think she was aware of all the times she said it.   I  LOVE that word. I love that she thought things were perfect. They were to me, too.  I hope she always sees things as 'perfect.'

I know it sounds like an unachievable, almost scary word to use- especially as often as I do, yet I mean it every time I use it. It seems to hold some sort of power or pressure to mean "without a mistake."  Actually, the definition is being entirely without fault or defect; flawless.   The second definition is satisfying all requirements.  But I see it differently, as very subjective and easy to achieve if you look at things with a positive perspective. 

If I were to ask you what your perfect dinner would be, I would see hundreds of different answers- and probably nobody would say when your husband makes Tostito scoops with salsa and cheese and a tortilla pizza.  Nope.  But I have had many nights when that was exactly perfect.  I have had a Filet 'O Fish and French fries from McDonalds that was a perfect dinner.  Yes, I have!

The other day, I saw this sign-

I really loved it- and as I thought about it, I realized that I loved it because to me, every time we try to do those million little 'good'  things, we are perfect at that moment.  That's a lot of moments!  It is the same with teaching.  There is no "perfect" day because there are so many, many different expectations and goals to meet- but instead of throwing out the day as "not perfect," we need to see all the perfect moments within each day, even if perfect looks like the picture of me in my apron.