The Perfectionism Malady

I turned my phone to silent, and clicked these photos of my son hard at work. Moments before he had broken, tears coursing down his cheeks. Perfectionism laced words poured out as he gave reasons why he couldn’t go on with his project.

I know this malady well. It has blanketed too many of my own projects over the years. Sometimes my creativity choked before I could reach finished. Other times I could never start.

I took time to encourage this little boy of mine. I told him all that is required is to do our best, and accept those mistakes along the way. Because mistakes happen. We are forever fallible, and perfection is never to be ours. I told him to remember to take negative thoughts captive.

And these photos show a heart soothed over. His tongue sneaks out between his lips as concentration deepens. I will be there to encourage him next time. There will be a next time because he is his mother’s son. But I know he will learn this lesson far sooner than I did.