Oia's Angel

"An Angel for an Angel" is what the kind woman said as she handed a small garden angel to me; intended for Oia. Although, it seemed apparent to me that the woman was ashamed to give us something that was considered less than perfect by her standards as she dusted off the dirty wings.

The woman is the owner of our favorite floral nursery we frequent. Her husband told her she might as well just throw the angel away as no one would buy something that was broken. Since she couldn't stand to throw an angel in the trash, she held onto to it until she found someone she could just give it to. Along came Oia.

She showed us the angel was missing a foot. No big deal. To me, it was still an angel. I was thankful for the offering and even more thankful that she thought to give it to Oia. I reminded the woman that Oia has a 'less than perfect' foot too and that the pair were meant to be. We smiled at the irony of it all.

We thanked her and left for home. On the ride home I couldn't help but think how consuming perfection can be for most people. It is something that many people strive for but most fall short of simply because they wouldn't know perfection if it stared them in the face. Perfect doesn't always look perfect. It seems the world at large tends to assume perfection, seeks ways to find it, and feels shorted or sorry when perfection isn't the outcome. Accepting and living with the imperfections that have been bestowed upon one is true beauty and the epitome of perfection.

Perfect is being the way you were made to be, even when it seems imperfect to others.