This pivotal scene from the movie Burnt, where Adam confronts Reece, his nemesis, resonated with me on a profound level. Its brevity encapsulates the essence of our pursuit of perfection.

In today's world, 'perfection' often carries a negative connotation. Before delving into the necessity of altering this perspective, I would acknowledge that extremes, in general, tend to be dangerous, unstable, and unhealthy. I believe that the prevailing negativity surrounding perfectionism tends to focus on its extreme aspects, overshadowing the gifts it offers. This contemplation aims to bridge the gap and illuminate the positive aspects of healthy perfectionism.

When we explore the etymology of perfection, we find that it means to complete. It is intertwined with our soul's quest for wholeness. I've always associated perfection with idealism, seeing it as the fuel for our inner fire, pushing us to demand more of ourselves, dream bigger, and envision higher ideals. This internal motivation propels us to take daily actions, explore, learn, integrate, and improve.

However, losing our respect for the innate perfection we believe is possible can lead to a compromised life. We may succumb to fear, past frustrations, and a lack of will or imagination, settling for mediocrity. The world, in our eyes, becomes broken and incomplete, eroding our hope for positive change. This compromise distances us from our inner values, and we lose faith in our potential, gradually dimming the vitality within us.

On the other side of the spectrum, if we go extreme, things can be unhealthy as well. Too much inner fire and perfectionism, as seen in figures like the earlier version of Adam Jones in the movie, Steve Jobs, and Elon Musk, can be destructive to the self and the collective. One can remember the Icarus falling from the sky in Greek mythology. Icarus was warned about not being too close to the sun, yet he did not listen and came too close to the sun, where the sun burned his wings. He plunged into the sea and drowned. To avoid this pitfall, we must strike a balance. 

The question arises: How do we navigate this delicate balance between pursuing our dreams with enthusiasm and avoiding self-destruction?

Love, I believe, holds both extremes together. It respects human dignity, embracing the diversity of dreams and ideals while nurturing these aspirations with forgiveness, understanding, and patience.

• If you lack perfectionism, love invites you to dare to dream again, to trust your inner wisdom, and to act in alignment with your completeness.

• If you lack patience, love encourages you not to succumb to bitterness and frustration. Instead, it urges you to use your inner fire to inspire others, to share your light collectively, and to work towards authentic reflections of human ideals in the external world.

In the end, love awakens the inner beauty within, helping you recognize that you are the perfection you've been seeking. This revelation fosters patience, allowing you to accept the imperfections in the world while trusting the collective evolution process.

Love lets you dance between perfection and patience, bringing your light to what ignites your heart and patiently witnessing the manifestations of your dedication.

Seen this way, embracing some perfection might even be a pathway to cultivate patience:) Perfection can anchor the dream our hearts believe is possible.

I hope this contemplation inspires us to dare to dream, bring our ideals to life, and hopefully lead others to places otherwise they wouldn't go!

Ithaka

BY C. P. CAVAFY, TRANSLATED BY EDMUND KEELEY

As you set out for Ithaka

hope your road is a long one,

full of adventure, full of discovery.

Laistrygonians, Cyclops,

angry Poseidon—don't be afraid of them:

you'll never find things like that on your way

as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,

as long as a rare excitement

stirs your spirit and your body.

Laistrygonians, Cyclops,

wild Poseidon—you won't encounter them

unless you bring them along inside your soul,

unless your soul sets them up in front of you.

Hope your road is a long one.

May there be many summer mornings when,

with what pleasure, what joy,

you enter harbors you're seeing for the first time;

may you stop at Phoenician trading stations

to buy fine things,

mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,

sensual perfume of every kind—

as many sensual perfumes as you can;

and may you visit many Egyptian cities

to learn and go on learning from their scholars.

Keep Ithaka always in your mind.

Arriving there is what you're destined for.

But don't hurry the journey at all.

Better if it lasts for years,

so you're old by the time you reach the island,

wealthy with all you've gained on the way,

not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.

Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.

Without her you wouldn't have set out.

She has nothing left to give you now.

And if you find her poor, Ithaka won't have fooled you.

Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,

you'll have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.

Contemplative Questions:

1. What aspects of your life do you feel are compromised due to fear, past frustrations, or a lack of will or imagination?

2. In what ways can you strike a balance between pursuing your dreams with passion and avoiding self-destruction?

3. How can you use your inner fire and perfectionism to inspire others and collectively contribute to creating authentic reflections of human ideals in the world?