None of Us is PERFECT

The other day, a good and brave soul sent me this message: "STOP TRYING TO BE PERFECT BECAUSE YOU WILL NEVER BE."

The person even enumerated my "struggles" (his term). How I flaunt that I am into martial arts, interest in gardening, writing, love of dogs, foreign language (he knows this too) and now paintings.

I am not mad about reading this person's litany. Instead, I thank him for his concern with my life. I positioned myself of understanding him for an obvious reason that he has no hint of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Maybe it was not taught to him when he was in school. However, I will not touch Maslow's theory here as it entails academic discussion. It is up to that person to read about it.

Also, I am thinking that he might be in a very deep quicksand right now that his message to me was a call for help.

I thought at first not to post this but the lawyer in me wanted to say something on the "struggles" he attributed to me for the public to "see" (as I know nobody cares to "know" it as they are also busy on their own craps). 

My love for martial arts propped up when I was still in elementary. My father was a 4th Dan black belt in Aikido and a black belt in Karate. Perhaps, his blood in me gave me that inkling on martial arts. Before I finished college, I am a black belt in Karatedo.

My interest in plants could be traced back to my late grandfather who was a farmer. I grew up spending "most" of my time bringing him lunch in his farm. As a young kid, my aunt loves ornamental plants. When I was in Grade 5,  we were taught to do marcotting, etc., in our school.

I had my own personal typewriter when I was in Grade 4 courtesy of my super loved grandmother. I would spend hours by the window writing my novel about jackfruits with golden seeds. Back in college, I was the Associate Editor of the College of Arts and Sciences publication. Most likely, I got my love of words from my Granny, a retired teacher.

Who does not love cute and huggable dogs? That is given.

I have been studying Spanish for quite some time now. I am attending online classes. Modesty aside, I always rank second or third in class amongst foreign students for almost every phase of the course. 

Paintings! Ah, this form of art is so elusive to me. It is only now that I find the courage to try it because of my wife, AJ. She loves sketching and putting life on canvasses through colors.  More than anything else, I have been a lover of arts ever since. Albeit I cannot draw a straight line, I believe that in crookedness lies the essence of art.

Alas, this person forgot to mention as one of my "struggles", my love of books. I make sure to squeeze in between my tasks to hold a book and read. I have been a voracious reader since Grade 5.

As a subscriber of Perfectionism, which by the way does not believe we can achieve a perfect life, I only seek the things that to me will more or less allow me to live a "best" life. I stand by the saying that "live life according to your own definition."  Hence, I am not trying to be perfect. It just so happens that I know what I want and I learned how to chase them all without sacrificing what is essential to me.

I am quite certain that the person who wrote me a message will be able to read this. I am not mad at you. I would advise you instead that you must find the courage that you need to live a life. What I see in you right now is nothing but cowardliness. It is not because you will not get into a fistfight with me but your inability to do one most important thing in life - TO TRY. 

You must try to search for your purpose in life. It is only then that you will see direction and meaning to why you are here in the first place. But always consider that in everything you do, let it be for the greater good of all concerned.

You are correct that I am not prefect and will never be one. For none of us is perfect in the eyes of this world. In many of my readings, what I found common in man is the attainment of self-realization, of which I believe you are still far from getting it.

Life is full of uncertainties. As it is said, only Tax and Death are the exactables - things that are determined to happen. I suggest you observe and practice the principle of philosopher Alan Watts' - the "backwards law". According to Watts, the more you "pursue feeling better all the time, the less satisfied you become." 

Just DO and TRY whatever that you want to happen with your life, not at the expense of others, of course. In that way, you will have no time nosing out with what I do because you will now be busy making a life for yourself according to your definition.