A New Perception of Perfection

I enjoy watching House Hunters on HGTV and seeing prospective buyers search for their new homes which also gives me a glimpse of cities I may never visit. 

The script for this “reality” show is pretty much the same for every episode. A mini disagreement is set up between the couple, or whoever is accompanying the buyer on their hunt. One fancies a craftsman, cozy style while the other likes sleek and modern; one has a budget of $350,000, while the other says $500,000 is more reasonable; one wants to “gut” the kitchen because the countertops aren’t quartz, while the other laments that will put them over their budget. And the tour of imperfections goes on for the next 30 minutes.

Remarkably, last night’s segment veered from the usual bickering script. This particular couple had been living in a one-bedroom condo for 15 years with their two daughters, now 12 & 14. They had purchased the condo when they first married thinking it would be for a short term, but life hadn’t gone as they’d hoped. They were still in that condo with their daughters sleeping in the living room all these years. They were quite emotional when relaying their disappointment and sorrow about that situation. But things had changed; they both got great new jobs a few years prior, had saved enough to buy their dream home, and were excited to start their hunt. 

It immediately became apparent that the usual House Hunter boilerplate script had been turned upside down when the whole family oohed and aahed during all the house tours. There were no, “It’s not quartz,” “The tub’s too small,” or “I hate…,” uttered. In fact, the 12-year-old walked into one house and said, “Wow, this is a mansion.” 

After moving into their new home, the parents emotionally shared their gratitude for their long-awaited “mansion.” Everyone had their own bedroom, plus they had a pool.

Their uplifting attitude changed the usual House Hunters script. By looking at the positives in each house instead of nit-picking at what might be considered negatives, they demonstrated their joy and gratitude for this gift. It gave me pause, and I thought, “I can change my ‘looking at the imperfections’ script, too.” 

Now, wherever I am, whatever I’m doing in my home or elsewhere, I’m noticing the pluses instead of allowing the minuses to diminish my gratitude in all that I experience. The practice of finding beauty and perfection makes me feel much happier, so… from now on, I’m riding on the highs that come through my new “finding perfection” script.

A life filled with minuses does nothing but pull us down mentally and physically. We owe it to ourselves, and those we love, to appreciate all the blessings we possess…that’s beautiful, that’s joy, that's perfection. If you have a “finding perfection” story, I’d love to hear it.