We were invited to dinner tonight to witness a spectacular firework practice for the upcoming Singapore National day, which takes place on Monday 9th August.
I found this to be a novel idea - a firework practice. It's a bit like a theatrical dress rehearsal only it's not limited to the 'in' crowd, for everybody and anybody can see it.
Today's practice was the fourth in preparation for Singapore's day of national pride. Yes, you read correctly, the FOURTH practice. I couldn't help wondering... how much practice does one need to prepare for a big event... and whether or not four is overkill.
Is it?
I ponder...
Have I become overly tainted by the all too Australian happy-go-lucky attitude? Have I adopted the 'she'll be right mate' mentality to a fault?
As much as I was truly grateful to witness this explosive display of colour and sparkly bling ten days prior the 'real' event, I couldn't help thinking that the element of surprise would be somewhat diminished by such a profuse act of practicing.
At that point of realisation, I simply had to ask the question - does practice make perfect? Which soon followed by - is perfection what we really want?
Unable to answer myself satisfactorily, I am handing over the question to you. Call it this Saturday's quiz if you will. All answers, thoughts and, or insights welcome.
Until tomorrow, remember that perfection is not necessarily perfect.
Grace xx
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...and nice fireworks photo by the way!
ReplyDeleteI like to think that "practice" is able to offer a limited amount of certainty and cannot guarantee perfection!
ReplyDelete"Well, it worked last time" is better than, "well, let's see what happens". Perfection evokes the idea of something divine or the unattainable. But isn't it all about the journey?
At this point I should confess that unless the photo has 'projectgrace2010.blogspot.com' plastered over it, then there's a high chance that it's not mine.
ReplyDeleteAfter having left my camera at home tonight, I Googled 'fireworks' and came up with this photo. Ordinarily I credit the websites if I source an image online, however this one is oddly linked to various websites which makes it difficult to give credit to.
The actual photo was taken in Singapore in 2008 and there is no information as to who took it.
True, it's always about the journey... but sometimes in our quest for perfection we can overdo it and spoil things. A bit like over seasoning a meal till it's ruined... or plucking your eyebrows to a point you have to draw it back on. ;-)
ReplyDelete'Perfection' is not, or should not, be the goal.
ReplyDeleteInstead, I think of practice as preparation: or setting myself up to succeed. (Even if we mean well by practicing, what about the times when we unintentionally practice a 'mistake'?)
Of course we can overdo/spoil things... but that's how we learn, by making mistakes!
So, I googled 'Perfection' and here are some of my favorite quotes about this topic...
They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they'd make up their minds.
~Wilt Chamberlain
Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it.
~Salvador Dali
You see, when weaving a blanket, an Indian woman leaves a flaw in the weaving of that blanket to let the soul out. ~Martha Graham
Certain flaws are necessary for the whole. It would seem strange if old friends lacked certain quirks. ~Goethe
Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.
~Henry van Dyke
Congratulations! You're not perfect! It's ridiculous to want to be perfect anyway. But then, everybody's ridiculous sometimes, except perfect people. You know what perfect is? Perfect is not eating or drinking or talking or moving a muscle or making even the teensiest mistake. Perfect is never doing anything wrong - which means never doing anything at all. Perfect is boring! So you're not perfect! Wonderful! Have fun! Eat things that give you bad breath! Trip over your own shoelaces! Laugh! Let somebody else laugh at you! Perfect people never do any of those things. All they do is sit around and sip weak tea and think about how perfect they are. But they're really not one-hundred-percent perfect anyway. You should see them when they get the hiccups! Phooey! Who needs 'em? You can drink pickle juice and imitate gorillas and do silly dances and sing stupid songs and wear funny hats and be as imperfect as you please and still be a good person. Good people are hard to find nowadays. And they're a lot more fun than perfect people any day of the week.
~Stephen Manes, Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days!
Fabulous BossRingGirl - just fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI think we should rephrase 'practice makes perfect' into two separate quotes:
'Practice makes prepared'
and
'Perfection is an illusion'
What do you think?
I've read somewhere that the closer you come to perfection the further it recedes. Sort of like trying to lick your elbow...it looks like its in your reach but the more you try the more you realize how far away it actually is.....
ReplyDeletexx
Liza