We Don't Need to Be Perfect
M. Zakyuddin Munziri
@zakiego
Originally written in Bahasa Indonesia.
This piece was published on October 25, 2020 as my first writing on Medium. For some reason, I moved it here. I want to remember it well. May everything turn out well.
This inspiration came to me in the final moments before the weekend ended. When almost none of my tasks were completed and my head felt increasingly overwhelmed.
Life is short, dreams are too many. Desires are limitless, abilities are limited.
In this life, there are certainties that must be understood. So we can properly manage our expectations, both for ourselves and others. So that when reality doesn't match our hopes, at least we can (somewhat) still be okay. What certainties?
The certainty that on this earth, nothing can truly be perfect.
Cliché indeed. But still, we often fail to translate it into action. We still hope someone can be perfect according to our expectations. Then, we get disappointed, again and again.
Allow me to say it once more, that on this earth there is indeed nothing that can truly be perfect.
When making plans as neatly as possible, there will still be things that are missed or left behind.
When eating food no matter how delicious, there's surely something that makes it less than perfect, whether it's the taste, the price being too expensive, or perhaps eating too much until you're overly full.
When trying to do something as best as possible, there will still be parts that feel less than perfect, needing to be improved again.
When liking someone, no matter how good or beautiful/handsome they are, they still have sides we don't like, their flaws, certainly.
When in a relationship with someone, boredom and arguments are a certainty. It's impossible to always be happy, joyful, and harmonious forever. Impossible.
When studying as hard as possible, there will still be materials that can't be understood, or some questions that can't be answered.
And other certainties.
So after understanding that, what's next?
Accept it.
For example, boredom — this is one thing that often annoys me when someone complains about it.
When deciding to be with someone, to spend days together with them, it will certainly reach a point where everything feels stale, boring.
If just because of that, you stop, and then move on to another heart, that's foolish.
Why? Because when choosing someone else, as long as they remain human, it's the same, you will certainly feel boredom again. It just continues like that. Repeating.
What needs to be done?
Endure. That's all.
Like the earth being drenched by rain, what should be done? Just take shelter, or if you want to enjoy it more, just run through the rain, then when the sky clears again wait until the clothes on your body dry.
Cold? It's okay. That's better than leaving this world, while hoping to find another world where it will never rain, where the sky is always clear.
With imperfection always existing in this world, it doesn't mean someone becomes lazy, unwilling to hope, reluctant to improve themselves and their circumstances, that's not the purpose.
Have you ever seen a bird flying? How many wings does it have? Two.
The left wing, that's like awareness of imperfection.
The right wing, that's like hope to change for the better.
Both need to be maintained to stay balanced. Don't let either wing be broken, or it won't be able to fly anymore.
