Perfection is in the eye of the beholder...

Nobody is dumb enough to claim perfection in their homes, themselves, their kids, jobs, etc. That is because even if you really think you can lay claim to perfection, nobody wants to jinx themselves...or appear egotistical by doing so. As I see it, perfection, that can be agreed upon by everyone, doesn't exist. Perfection is subjective. We all have our own definition of it, and we all have different opinions on striving for it.

When it comes to our homes, I think the perfect home is not the one that is most beautiful, the most spacious or the one in the "perfect" neighbourhood. In my opinion, the perfect home is the one that makes you feel "at home", content, safe, nestled. As you may know, I've lived in a lot of homes. But I finally live in one that feels like home.

Our home makes us very happy but is by no means perfect. For a family of five, it could stand to be a little bigger and we don't have a lot of yard space, but it is a great family home for us. I am grateful for it. We all have a spot to get be alone when we want it, and a cozy living room that always brings us together. In the past, my husband and I always created a separate living room for us adults to use on occasion...with french doors that we could close off and get a moment's peace from the kids. When he suggested doing away with that idea for this house, and just having an open concept living room where we would all float in and out of, I was a bit scared. Didn't we need a "quiet room"? Wouldn't our house be really noisy all the time? Well, what we've discovered is that by sharing all the rooms in our homes, with no single room "off limits", we all drift in and around our home and really use it. There are no shrines that sit empty for days. Our kids love being around us and that makes us feel good...because we really enjoy having them around, too. Perhaps when we go to sell it someday, potential buyers will be disappointed in the lack of formal living and dining spaces. What I say to that is, "c'est la vie!" Our house is "perfect" for our family...and that is all you can ever really expect from a home anyway. Someone will always have bigger and better than you. Instead of worrying about others having more, worry about those who don't have enough. Love what you have and make it work for you. Strive only for your standard of perfection, and that's only if you feel like it!! As I see it, perfection is elusive...I'm pretty happy aiming for pretty darn good!!!

If you do dream of perfection, I've left you with a few images that qualify...none of which are from my house!!