Being Prepared

It was interesting to watch as my daughter prepared for the birth of her first child. I observed with interest her anxiety over having everything just right and having all of the perfect things that she needed. I told her often that she really didn't need much to take care of a new born and that she should relax a little, but she wanted to be prepared, she wanted everything set in place just right.

Interestingly enough, once the baby was born suddenly all of that stuff that was so necessary to her peace of mind during pregnancy, no longer seemed important. It didn't matter what crib or dresser she had, she just needed a safe, convenient space for the baby to sleep and easy access to the diapers and clothing. All of the beautiful little outfits sat in the drawers unused for days because it was easier to keep the baby in just a tshirt until her umbilical cord came off.

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with having to have things prepared or having beautiful items ready to be used. It just was eye opening to witness someone realize how little importance having those "perfect" things was once they held that beautiful, perfect child in their arms.

Thinking over all of this caused me to wonder how many times in our lives we have missed out on opportunities for growth or happiness simply because we are so busy lining things up perfectly. How often have we missed out on what we were meant to be doing or finding joy in what we were meant to be doing because we were putting so much time and anxiety into focusing on getting things lined up or in order "perfectly" instead of finding joy in the process and just doing what needed to be done. Granted having things in order and lined up can make things easier, but are we going over board in our preparing? Are we stuck in rituals of getting things just right?

As a recovering perfectionist myself, I am working on learning to find balance between having to have things just right and not trying to get things just right at all. It feels as if it's important to prepare and be ready, but not to lose sight in all of our preparation of what it is we are preparing for and what it is that we truly need to focus on.