“It's better on a clear day when you can really see the city,” she fretted as I watched, mesmerized. White diaphanous clouds gilded by afternoon light hurtled through cables that suspend the Golden Gate Bridge. I took her hand and asked, “Is it okay if this is good enough?” In no mood to defend the good against the taskmasters of the perfect, I said no more before I kissed her, feeling the moment as it passed, not giving a damn what might be better, and knowing that whatever better might be, it would not be this. For a split second I thought about perfection and the appetite to feed it? God save me from optimal experience, and the compulsion to exceed it.
Siodhna! I was in Dublin last year for the first time. It really felt like a very large town. I loved Ireland. Flying to Edinburgh in a couple of days, so will be in the same timezone. Best to you.
When did we become seekers of perfection in all things? Maybe marketing and advertising pushed us into this ridiculous pursuit, to encourage to get things whiter and brighter, to own all the latest and greatest things.
I swear a fortune awaits you. My wife has coined some dandies; “we’ll burn that bridge when we get there.” Or, “He doesn’t suffer from depression but he is a carrier.” She once said to me, “I’m sorry darling, what were you saying? Never mind, I wasn’t going to listen anyway.”
Perfection can only exist in the fleeting moments that swiftly tick like the hands of a clock. Here and gone. Gone and now. Now and gone. That is what perfection is about. And claiming it now. This is such a lovely poem, Jed. Your words are always exquisite gifts. 🌞
Here! Here! This is the art of loving what is real, what you have, what is right in front of you. Luckily my husband and I saw this straight away, in each other. And we've never looked back. You have this, too. So does Dave. And here you pretty much layout how it works.
Ah... Good morning Rebecca. Thanks for framing it that way. You know, I think I agree with you about this. You were fortunate enough to see it the first time around with your guy. It has taken me some time and some bumps in the road, but I am glad my old bones have been preserved long enough to finally learn it by experience.
Actually I had a tragic first marriage before I snagged Dale.but all of it very young. When we married Dale was 20 and I was 23, with child from first marriage.
God, I hate when people write better than me. It’s really annoying, not perfect at all cut that out Jed!
On the other hand, the concept of perfection is an interesting one because stripped of value judgment, everything is perfect because if it happens, all the facts were there to make it happen. This is little consolation in a flash flood, and is why I dropped Philosophy 101 thinking it a steaming pile of horse hockey on a hot day.
Your poem brought to mind a delightful verse in Shakespeare’s King John
Long slow chuckle. Thank you David ... So that's where "gilding the lilies" came from. Why does he have to invent all the good lines?
Since the flash flood is clearly not "perfect" in the same way that my porterhouse is perfect by colloquial definition... then we might as well toss the word for practical use as I don't suppose either of us are up for evangelizing a better definition.
Was listening to some Buddhist jibber-jabber today and the guy defined karma not as cause and effect (like tipping over a domino chain) but as "linked" as in nothing can be excised. If so, that's the great equalizer and perfect becomes nothing more than that's what's happening now?
I think this might be peak Jed:
"I took her hand and asked, “Is it okay if this is good enough?”
Also - and paradoxically (given the theme) - it actually is also perfect.....
Dave :)
'God save me from optimal experience, and the compulsion to exceed it'
This electric thought. Thanks Jed, happy Friday from Dublin town.
Siodhna! I was in Dublin last year for the first time. It really felt like a very large town. I loved Ireland. Flying to Edinburgh in a couple of days, so will be in the same timezone. Best to you.
When did we become seekers of perfection in all things? Maybe marketing and advertising pushed us into this ridiculous pursuit, to encourage to get things whiter and brighter, to own all the latest and greatest things.
Life, airbrushed of all blemishes, comes off as flat and dull as an unused pizza carton.
That would make a great eulogy- “His life was free of blemishes and as interesting as an unused pizza carton”.
Paul, you could do super, snarky cards, like the antithesis to Hallmark.
Could be a side-hustle!
I swear a fortune awaits you. My wife has coined some dandies; “we’ll burn that bridge when we get there.” Or, “He doesn’t suffer from depression but he is a carrier.” She once said to me, “I’m sorry darling, what were you saying? Never mind, I wasn’t going to listen anyway.”
Those examples are rich!
Perfection can only exist in the fleeting moments that swiftly tick like the hands of a clock. Here and gone. Gone and now. Now and gone. That is what perfection is about. And claiming it now. This is such a lovely poem, Jed. Your words are always exquisite gifts. 🌞
An old saying: “Perfect is the enemy of good”
Exactly.
As one who hosts both the voices you’ve captured, this really resonates. Thanks, Jed!
Here! Here! This is the art of loving what is real, what you have, what is right in front of you. Luckily my husband and I saw this straight away, in each other. And we've never looked back. You have this, too. So does Dave. And here you pretty much layout how it works.
Ah... Good morning Rebecca. Thanks for framing it that way. You know, I think I agree with you about this. You were fortunate enough to see it the first time around with your guy. It has taken me some time and some bumps in the road, but I am glad my old bones have been preserved long enough to finally learn it by experience.
Actually I had a tragic first marriage before I snagged Dale.but all of it very young. When we married Dale was 20 and I was 23, with child from first marriage.
I love how you love, my friend ❤️
I love the gentle prose drift into a rhyming finish.
God, I hate when people write better than me. It’s really annoying, not perfect at all cut that out Jed!
On the other hand, the concept of perfection is an interesting one because stripped of value judgment, everything is perfect because if it happens, all the facts were there to make it happen. This is little consolation in a flash flood, and is why I dropped Philosophy 101 thinking it a steaming pile of horse hockey on a hot day.
Your poem brought to mind a delightful verse in Shakespeare’s King John
Earl of Salisbury
Therefore, to be possess'd with double pomp,
To guard a title that was rich before,
To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
To throw a perfume on the violet,
To smooth the ice, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light
To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,
Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.
Long slow chuckle. Thank you David ... So that's where "gilding the lilies" came from. Why does he have to invent all the good lines?
Since the flash flood is clearly not "perfect" in the same way that my porterhouse is perfect by colloquial definition... then we might as well toss the word for practical use as I don't suppose either of us are up for evangelizing a better definition.
Was listening to some Buddhist jibber-jabber today and the guy defined karma not as cause and effect (like tipping over a domino chain) but as "linked" as in nothing can be excised. If so, that's the great equalizer and perfect becomes nothing more than that's what's happening now?
All right, 1st cup of coffee accomplished One can disprove the concept of perfection by trying to get a decent breakfast in Scotland
1st cup of coffee…the importance of setting a goal. The rest of the day is all downhill, David.
That is the whole day. Sunday I have coffee Monday I get the mail.
My karma hit my dogma. That’s the best I can do ‘til the blessed caffeine kicks in
interesting, I guess, I drove over that bridge when I was out there just because it's so iconic. C'.mon Jed.
Amen and hallelujah to that!
But for some, the optimal experience is perfect and exceeding it is woefully missing the moment... "it would not be this" says it all. Well done, sir.
"God save me from optimal experience, and the compulsion to exceed it"..
what a wonderful piece of writing this Jed !
I resonate with this so much. Beautiful work.
Two kindred minds involved in building one shared love. Exquisite!
I agree. Never wait for a perfect moment— especially for a kiss.