"I want something good to die for,
to make it beautiful to live."
- QUOTSA, Go With the Flow
Walking down the street, I saw a girl. She was walking funny. When she smiled, I noticed what I thought were big gaps between her teeth. And visible wrinkles around her eyes. She seemed tired, and the dark circles under her eyes only contrasted her pale complexion. As she neared me, I noticed her skin, hair, and nails also craved some serious attention. Was she ill? Was she too busy to take care of herself? Or was she just careless of her appearance?
I proceeded to the photoshooting for this blog post. I had done my hair, my nails, and makeup. I felt genuinely good about myself 'cause I had it all planned out: the perfect story, the perfect styling, the perfect backdrop. And ultimately, the perfect photos I had in mind all along.
But when the lights went out, I saw that girl again. I saw her in my mirror.
I saw the girl who walked funny because of a serious leg injury she had suffered as a child. Who had gaps between her teeth due to a dental error. Who had bad hair, nails, and skin because she was too stressed out and lead an unhealthy life in general. And those wrinkles? She had them because she simply laughed too much.
And the photos she just took? A posed perfection.
Facebook. Instagram. Snapchat. A posed perfection.
Suddenly, it hit me: perfection is my enemy. And maybe perfection is not in adding but in taking things away from my life. In removing stress and drama. In ceasing to aspire to the imposed ideals. In reinventing myself and learning to accept my flaws and proudly wear them as a reminder of the battles won and lost.
And why this post matters? Not because it has the perfect cover photo. Not because the girl in the photo seems self-confident and content about her life. Not because she perhaps seems to have everything she wants. Not because she shared her expertise with the world. It matters because it will give someone the opportunity to read her story and maybe, just maybe, decide to make positive changes in their life.
She'll keep posting the perfect photos on social media, alright. But she'll still be imperfect just as anyone.
- 8:39 pm
- 2 Comments
