Perspective...

A while ago, I took this picture of a pink flower in our garden at the little house on the edge of the world. It was early in the day, so the bloom was still frosted with dew. It is an eye-popping picture, this great lacy pink bloom glistening in full sun and the leaves and buds in shadow behind it. I took it in to mat and frame it, and I took a friend with me for advice and support. She had not seen the picture, so I laid it out on the table at the store for her. She stood over it for a long time in silence. I thought she was stunned by its beauty. Instead, she remarked that there were some flecks of stuff on the petals. I looked more closely, and indeed, there were a few little specks, like pepper on a plate. I had not noticed them before. Now, every time I look at this picture, I see those annoying little flecks. Oh, I got rid of that annoying friend, yes I did. That was just one of a series of little jibes that said she was not very conscious of anyone else's feelings. And in a way, she did me a favor. I have always seen myself the way she saw that flower, not as a precious concoction of a loving god, but as a collection of flaws, small flaws, but present, nevertheless. And my challenge is to know that it is OK to have flaws, not be perfect, and still be magnificent, like that pink flower is, sprinkled with dew, its very own moment of splendor, captured, framed and hung on my bathroom wall.