Friday 1 June 2012

The Perfection of Imperfection

How we choose to see the rich and vibrant tapestry of life often shapes the paths we follow and the choices we make. It is all too easy to get stuck and pre-occupied by that one slipped stitch that looks out of place, but when we take a step back, this slipped stitch is lost in the amazing and awe-inspiring beauty of the tapestry before us. Of course, we know the slipped stitch is there, but does that one mistake truly have to shape the rest of our lives? Whilst we may want the tapestry to be perfect, life rarely happens that way, and it is the slipped stitches, the pot holes and wrong turns that ultimately make life more interesting and rewarding!

If we take a moment to step back to see the full tapestry of life, it can help us to reconnect to our vision of life. We all have a vision, however big or small. We all have a purpose; a dream. It is this vision that gives our lives meaning, it fills us with hope and fuels the inner fires within. Whilst we may not be ‘living our vision’, the more connected to it we are, the more life and energy we give it, giving it more room to grow and blossom into reality. A life with vision has more energy and purpose, for having no vision feels empty and hollow; when we embrace our vision, we enrich the world.

It is never too late to have a dream or a vision; it is never too late to embrace it and bring it to life. If you have the courage to keep moving forward, then know that you are creating the perfect environment to manifest your dream into being.  Your vision is already within you; just make it conscious, give it life and breath, and you are a step closer to making it real.

Even when life is challenging, our vision can give us hope and inspiration which can create the momentum to thrust us past fear or doubt. Our vision brings us hope and it enables us to see the full tapestry of possibilities rather than that single slipped stitch. We all make ‘mistakes’, for that is part of being human. Every choice we make though is part of the process of life; mistakes make us wise and help us to know ourselves even more. Who’s to say that the slipped stitch might, in the end, be the icing on the cake of perfection in the finished masterpiece? We can give that mistake power by letting the frustration get the better of it, or we can accept that it’s done, and what matters next is what happens next!

So, by focusing on the power of our vision, we can move beyond that slipped stitch and reconnect to the full power of what life has to offer us. Of course, visions take work, energy and time, and we need to be prepared to make an effort, but first we need to honour the courage within which allows us to have that vision in the first place for it is this courage that will ultimately see us stepping into unknown territory towards pastures new.

Courage sees us accept that slipped stitch and putting it down to experience. Courage sees us propel past doubt and fear (for these can destroy the vision), even when the going has been tough. And courage sees us embrace our vision with an open heart as we know that when we truly believe, we can make things happen. Visions need passion and energy to fire them up and give them life, and this comes from courage.

So, when that slipped stitch comes to your attention again, know that it has made you who you are today. There is no such thing as a ‘wrong choice’ just a different choice, and it is where you are in the present moment that matters most...