Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Haiku-A-Day December Challenge #18: Breaking From Perfection

For the last three years, I've intentionally spent time writing and sharing a Haiku-A-Day for the month of December. The first two years I exchanged a daily Haiku privately with willing friends, mostly through text and email. Last year I wrote and shared each Haiku on my blog. Throughout this process, I've discovered that the practice of noticing and reflecting through writing a Haiku grounds me, provides with with a certain kind of peace, assists me with better practicing gratitude, and helps me better navigate this "hurry up" world. This year my goal is the same as last year: to pen and publish a daily Haiku on my blog throughout December. 


Haiku-A-Day December Challenge #18: 
Breaking From Perfection 

The Christmas season comes with so many expectations - gift giving, decorating, baking, hosting, visiting, and sending Christmas cards. I admit, many of these unrealistic expectations I place on myself. Yet, I want my children to have a perfect Christmas, especially this year.

 There's that word. Perfect. This desire comes from such a deep, shameful place. I don't want to mess up. I don't want to admit that I have so many struggles and short-comings as a human. I don't want to show failure.

 I'm not sure why this is such a yearning for me this time of the year.  

 As I was writing about this today, I realized that I need to turn away from this desire to be perfect. Around Christmas. All the time. Perfect is something that I will never be, and striving for perfection is not healthy or helpful for me.
Searching for perfect:/
poison. Impossible feat./
Show up as best self. 
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2 comments:

  1. Fran HaleyWednesday, 18 December, 2019

    Your haiku - about the desire for perfection being poison - is a profound truth. It strikes me because I know it too well. You write about Christmas, wanting it to be perfect for everyone else ... I get that. But it's like a wedding, so much preparation, then quickly gone ... I will be wishing you pockets of time to simply savor the love and beauty of the season. I also think about writing; the desire for perfection can pretty near paralyze us to the point of giving up before we've hardly started. There's so much here in your few lines! Let us just concentrate on showing up as our best selves, in the given moment. :)

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  2. Glenda FunkThursday, 19 December, 2019

    I understand this impulse toward perfection. The holidays have always been an emotionally challenging time for me. I love the contrast and alliteration in “perfect / poison.”

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