Imperfection & Tolerance.
Why do we seem to try to get rid of those things that make our world ugly?
A man who took great pride in his lawn found himself with large and recurring crops of dandelions. Although he tried every method he knew to get rid of them, they continued to plague him. Finally in desperation, he wrote to the Agriculture Service of the State University and explained that he had tried everything to get rid of them and asked, “What shall I do now.”
After a somewhat prolonged time even for such correspondence, the reply finally came: “We suggest you learn to love them.”
“Spirituality begins with this first insight: We are all imperfect.
Such a vision not only invites but requires tolerance: active appreciation of the richness and variety of human beings on this earth, along with the understanding that we all struggle with the same demons, we all share the same fear and sorrows, we all do the best we can with what we have.”
From one of my all-time favorite books: The Spirituality of Imperfection.
10 Comments:
I am going to read this, thanks for recommending it. I know if you like it, I will too :)
“Spirituality begins with this first insight: We are all imperfect."
Religion.....begins by believing as we are told that we are all imperfect.
"...we all do the best we can with what we have."
And, when we are finally tired, if ever, of living this way...we make a space clear for giving up this illusion of imperfection for a reality that we have always been and always will be, Divine.
We fight wars between ourselves and with ourself over this silly notion of imperfection and all the faults we have been burdened down with over the ages...but, this too is in Divine Order.
One day, we will give up hiding from ourselves and come out into the clear field of our original face.
Namaste
Thanks for the comments. Laaayla, it's a great book. It think you'd like it.
Isaiah, thanks for your comments. I know what you think you mean. You sound like one who has read a lot of books. Hard to JUDGE a book by it's cover, isn't it? I think the authors of this book may agree with you in many ways and have several HINDU references. You sound religious. Religion, contrary to what most folks think, is not bad. In fact, one cannot be spiritual with out being religious.
Do you have a site?
Thanks again for your comments. I appreciate your humility and bow to the light in you.
Namaste,
Rick
Sounds like an awesome book...I think I'll get it! Thanks for the heads up.
I always HAVE loved dandelions! I guess now I need to start loving dandelionesque people.
These words are so merciful. I long for mercy and forgiveness, having left such a trail of self in my wake, everywhere I've gone. I also long to learn mercy more deeply for others. Thanks for the fitting words.
Ohhhh, this sounds like something to add to my Amazon to-buy list.
and dandelions are so much better than grass in a salad...
Rick, I love your site. In these comments though I must agree with Isaiah. Only the ego self sees imperfection and that is its means of maintaining control over us. God only sees the perfection that was created and spirit works constantly toward that recognition by the self. Only when we see our own perfection can we see the truth.
I have also known people who doubt the existence of God, belong to no religion, yet act more Christ-like than self professed Christians.
Religion is not necessary, but may be used as a wonderful tool if one is willing to think for themself and not believe what they are told.
Seek and you shall find; ask and you shall receive; knock and it shall be opened unto you.
Thank you for your comments. I particularly like the perspective that Isaiah and Matt bring to the table.
Thanks guys for sharing. I have often said that it is not that we are so "bad" we are just unaware of how beautiful we are in the eyes of God.Once we begin to see oursleves through the eyes of Love our perspective of ourselves and one another is shifted.
Religion means to "bind together" and "re-unite" to God. This is often done in community. In its true definiton relgion and spirituality are inseparable. It is when it is institutionalized and beomes a form of control throgh dogma that I struggle.
Thanks again for taking the time to share.
Rick
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