My teachers have all come with the same message. Not “I am holier than thou,” but “You are as holy as I am.” — Neale Donald Walsch, Conversations with God
Even if we can resist the pursuit of perfection, most of us find ourselves striving to be better than we currently are, to grow, whether it be in knowledge, insight, skill or physical strength. Accepting ourselves as we are can feel like “settling.” But consider the quote above. What if, just as we are, we are already “perfect”? What if our ideal self is flawed, and quirky; passionate and doubting; stubborn and patient and loving and fierce? Being our best selves needn’t mean pushing ourselves to change. Perhaps, with our failings and questions and achievements, we are as we are meant to be. Maybe perfection is messy. Maybe it includes mistakes as well as accomplishments. Maybe our “holiness” resides in all that we are, exactly as we are.