What Is Beautiful? Who Is Perfect? Get Real?

This article from Global News entitled, Mannequins are getting tatoos, back fat and pubic hair, makes me think it's a great thing there is a discussion happening about how people are getting all "haired up", ( pun intended), over hair, and mannequins etc. In spite of there being so many other things to concern ourselves with,  I do believe it is an important, and necessary discussion.

People are perfect in their imperfections, in an natural state, and we all have a story to tell. Life isn't perfect, far from it, causing one to ponder perfection, beauty, reality and the meaning of our lives.

Many don't see beyond the surface, not seeing the person first, but only the superficial. Often we can't see past the so called, disability, the disease, whether it be physical, or mental. The preconceived, rigid, and often self or externally imposed , social, economic, and cultural norms within society lead us to judge, compare others, and ourselves relentlessly , according to a existing every changing standard.

I believe it to be a positive development in the world of fashion in particular, that challenges the constraints, and confines of  the ideal . Body image, appearance, ideas surrounding beauty, and perfection are based on image, and illusion, certainly not on reality.

I remember a good friend once relating to me the idea, if we perceive ourselves through an image, and not through a belief in what I would describe, as being the God of my own understanding, image does not exist. Image is illusion, and a standard we will never measure up to, and we will always fall short.

 Reading the book, The Spirituality of Imperfection , by authors, Ernest Kurtz and Katherine Ketcham,  helped me immeasurably, to understand the importance, and necessity of imperfection and how the idea of perfection is so imperfect.