In late 2020, our renovated kitchen was finally completed.

It had been a long time in the making.  Yet, it was amidst a pandemic.

The renovators committed to us in early January, however, we were unable to start the project until mid August. Construction was almost delayed a year due to the first wave of the pandemic.

Ours is an old house. At least 120 years old if the city museum is to be believed.

Despite its old house problems and imperfections, it has a certain old house charm. However, the new kitchen is nearly perfect. The new kitchen is vastly superior to the previous one in both design and functionality. However, there are a few minor imperfections.

Lately, I have come to appreciate the imperfections. The corner where the countertops had to be connected diagonally has a noticeably raised seam; the island could have benefitted from foot rests; and the fridge makes slight creaking noises when opened and closed, likely due to its rubbing against the cabinets that enclose it.

I wonder why I like the imperfections. To me, the creaking sound that the fridge makes is like a symphony. As I run my fingers along the uneven seam, it has a surprisingly soothing effect on me.

For the amount of money spent on this new kitchen, most people would demand perfection. They could require these flaws to be fixed. The builder might be required to make some form of restitution. They might allow these imperfections to actually make them feel worse, more angry, and more frustrated than before the renovations occurred.

But not me, I let it remind me that there will always be imperfections in life.

I use it as a reminder that disappointments are a part of life.

The woman gets upset because her hotdog is not as hot as she would like. The man becomes livid when his car takes ten minutes longer than promised.

Admitting that these two individuals could have been pushed to their limits after an extended period of dissatisfaction, I can certainly relate, as I have been in that same situation. It is more probable that these people require more impediments and conflicts in their lives.

The battles that keep you grounded, the battles that allow you to really FEEL the imperfections in your life and really embrace them rather than cause you to feel like your life is coming apart at the seams.

Just like that imperfect seam on the countertop.

It is important to remember that health encompasses more than just diet and exercise. A healthy mind must also be cultivated. By watching others attempting to enhance their state of mind, I continue to cultivate and refine my own.