What boundaries could there be to one’s imagination of perfection. Humans are not capable
of being happy all the time. Not even one human, who ever lived, I imagine, was happy every
second of his lifetime. In fact, most babies cry out at birth, but of course that’s not always an
emotion induced action but one of that, mode of survival i.e., to expel out liquid from the
lungs, nose and mouth. So that must mean that there is always room for improvement in
one’s quality of life. Now, this doesn’t signify that a shortage of material, intellectual or
social resources leads to a state of disequilibrium. But rather, in my opinion, one’s attitude
and response to the whirlwind of life is what ultimately dictates one’s appreciation or
unappreciation of it. Which is why, even hypothetically, to imagine, from the age of twenty-
one to eighty-three, all things in my life going well, seems...well, impossible!
I don’t have a total understanding of perfection, it very much seems like a theoretical
concept, never mind the sixty-two years of it. True knowledge of the idea of perfection in life
cannot co-exist with ingratitude, pride and other vices. I can only try to invent something
relatively close to it. A successful career, happy marriage, loving children, financial security,
spiritual fulfilment and peaceful retirement are the stereotypical requisites of “The Perfect
Life.” I tend to agree that these would make it much easier, but, as I mentioned earlier, my
outlook is the key to it all. My external environment can only go so far in sating my inner
self, even an ideal one, could not ensure an impeccable existence. I would never realistically
consider the possibility of having a perfect life, but a generally good one sounds “Perfect ''
enough for me.
Earth is no heaven, it is riddled with iniquities, both natural and deliberate. It is simply
unfeasible to spend sixty-two years on it without encountering a snag. The happiest man is
not one who has the most but one who needs the least. Gratitude is all I would require to
coast through life. For all things in my life to go well, I would not require a perfect life, but
rather the ability to see the perfect in the imperfect.
Allen J Mathew (20D4208)
1I B.A (EPO)