Diamond

I am a lover of analogies. I make them constantly, and I use them lots. Many people will know how much I like giving everything an analogy. Well, I was on the phone the other day, and I came up with a particular analogy that I have since used again, and I think is fairly cool. I alos think people can take a lot form this one, as it applies to almost anything, and is something that I've sturggled with, being a perfectionist and all.

Basically, the analogy is about perfection, and how quality is not found in perfection, but is found, in fact, in the flaws. Something that is perfect, is not perfect at all, as it lacks all the qualities that make something good.
The analogy I used was of diamonds. A diamond is simply lots of compressed Carbon. (And for those who understand a little bit less, that is, compressed graphite, or the stuff used in grey lead pencils.) And we all know how valuable diamonds are, yes? Yes. Well, because diamonds are also the hardest solid thing around, they function very well as tools and what not, like drills and stuff. At the same time, it is very easy to manufacture diamond, as it is simply compressed carbon. So many high quality tools are made form artificial diamond, and the diamond used is not really very valuable at all. Then we look at the diamonds used in jewelery, which are natrual, and are filled with cracks, dirt and imperfections, hence, coupled with the way they are carved, the reason that they shine. These diamonds are worth much, much more. For a diamond to be filled with natrual imperfections, that diamond cannot possibly be man-made, and is rare and expensive.
So, from this, we can see that the invaluable imperfections of a diamond are what make it valuable. Basically, what I'm tryign to say is that if somthing is not perfect, if you are not perfect, then there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, you are who you are because of your imperfections. If everybody was perfect, then what would the world be? Bad bad bad bad bad.

Sindrome, from the awesome movie: "The Incredibles" wants to be "super", like many of the superheroes of the time, but is not, and feels inadequate. He is quoted as saying that he wants to supply goods to the world that make everybody a superhero, and says that "When everybody is super, nobody will be." And this is so true. If everybody was perfect, who would be?

Nothing is perfect. And don't think that anything ever should be.

-xox-