Just Thinking

• So, here I am.  I'm on a personal mental campaign to eliminate "perfect" from my life as much as possible.  No matter how diligent or concerted the effort, perfection just isn't going to exist in this lifetime.  That is a given as far as I'm concerned.  We strive for it.  We look for it.  We think we must be perfect.  No, not going to happen.

I read an article this morning where he said perfect should be a 4-letter word.  Sometimes that's how I feel.  I'm not necessarily a slob, but perfection in aligning seams in quilting always eludes me. Playing a piece on the piano perfectly?  Never has happened. Finding perfection in all my personal interactions with others? Absolutely not, because none of us are perfect beings.

Maybe the bottom line take-away for me is that I should cut myself some slack.  Allow myself and others to continue to do our/their best. Let Heavenly Father be the (only true) judge.  And let go what doesn't matter.  Easier for some of us to do than for others.  Maybe I should strive for perfection in that - letting go?

Or maybe I should look for a measure of perfection in finding the good?

• Read an article this morning in the paper - about writing thank you notes, teaching children the value of that exercise.  (And I believe it is an exercise.  The more we exercise those grateful muscles the stronger that attitude gets. I like strong "grateful muscles".)

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865641778/Showing-gratitude-Authors-blogger-share-tips-on-how-to-help-children-be-thankful.html

I'm so impressed that she wrote a book for children about expressing thanks.  Some people seem to find it easier to express thanks to Heavenly Father than it is to thank the people around us.  It doesn't have to be thanks for a physical thing, like a gift.  In my way of thinking, expressing that grateful emotion is one of the things that keeps us truly civilized.

We received a thank you note from our 5 year old neighbor.  Written by herself.  It was a treasure that warmed my heart for days.  She's learning at a young age some hugely valuable things from her Mom.  Well done!

• And I saw this plaque (again) the other day in a catalog.  I like the reminder.

Today I'm grateful for those who take the time to be kind.