Perfection

I know people who call themselves perfectionists. I'm not one of them. I know we all should strive for perfection - to be as good human beings as possible, in a philosophical or religious sense. I do strive for it but don't get too down when I fail - which I do all the time.

I think perfection may have gotten too big of a role in our societies. I know, perfection is nice. Who wouldn't want to look perfect, have a perfect house, have a perfect job, have perfect children and of course, have a perfect spouse... Perfect life would be wonderful. But at what cost should we strive for perfection.

I confess, I'm too lazy to do many things I could and probably should. I don't want to pay the prize, whether it's real money or something else.

I think it used to be more that it was the famous celebrities who tried to be so very perfect. At least on areas which are seen. I'm sure there has always been mothers who have perfected the art of needlework or household chores. I'm sure there's also been plenty of those who have done their best and thought it perfect because they really haven't had a chance to compare.

Now we have the internet full of examples of perfect lives or certain areas of lives. If nothing else there are blogs about perfect looking homes, perfect looking mothers, perfect looking children, sometimes even perfect looking husbands. All of those even often in one and same blog. Then we have blogs of perfect nature friendly living people, perfect child rearers, perfect cooks, perfect skinny cake makers... Not to mention all the tv shows about perfect lives.

Does anyone anymore settle for average, ok or I can live with this? I know everyone knows those blog keepers' lives really aren't perfect - right? We may tell that to ourselves to make us feel better, but still there might be a nagging feeling, that perhaps their life really is perfect. Perhaps it's something that so many people have attained, but not me. Perhaps there's something very wrong with me...

Just read an article written by a mother who's son committed a suicide at the age of 26. Everyone thought he had a good life. Perhaps many even thought it was perfect. There's about 1000 people in Finland per year, of whom is known for sure that they've committed suicide. That's about 1000 too many. I know there are so many reasons for it, it's never black and white. But I have a feeling that this kind of strive for perfection, as individuals in this society, isn't something that will help the number to decrease. Our strive for perfection in being a better person would. Because then we would notice each individual, care and act. Hopefully before it's too late.