Good Things: The Imperfections of Life

You might think it strange that I say the imperfections of life are a good thing.  But as I think back over my 40 years, some of the best moments have been born from imperfections…

Our Wedding Day

Everyone seems to desire the “perfect” wedding day.  I know I did, but it wasn’t to be.  And honestly, I am so glad that imperfections happened because I remember our day so much better because of them!

As we bowed our heads to pray at the beginning the ceremony, I heard a ping, ping, ping.  My maid of honor had dropped Dane’s ring and it was bouncing across the floor.  I didn’t move, but I did send up a request that the ring be found by the time the pastor asked me to place it on Dane’s finger.  I really didn’t want us crawling around on the floor to look for it!  When the time came, I turned to her, and she gave me the ring.  Disaster averted!

On the video, you see my future father-in-law getting up to retrieve the ring, which had landed on my dress, and quietly handing it back to my cousin.  He joked later that he could see the headline, “Sunday School Teacher caught looking up bride’s dress!”  The memory still makes me giggle!

Honestly, I’m not sure I’d remember anything about our ceremony if my cousin hadn’t dropped that ring.  It is truly one of my fondest memories of my wedding day…

After Our Wedding Reception

My Daddy could not attend my wedding.  He was ill in the hospital, battling colon cancer.  After our reception, we went to the hospital to visit him.  The nurses clapped for us as we got off the elevator.  After taking a couple of pictures and visiting for a moment, we headed downstairs to leave.  My brand-new hubby went to get the car.  As I waited, I felt someone touch my dress.  I turned around to see a wide-eyed little girl looking up at me in awe.  “Mommy, a princess,” she breathed.  She just couldn’t believe she saw a real live princess!  I smile and cry as I think back on that moment.  A visit to the hospital on my wedding day (one of the BIG imperfections of life) led to one of the most beautiful moments of that day…

Christmas Eve 2017

This past Christmas Eve, I was feeling a bit uncomfortable.  A couple of my cousins don’t agree with my lifestyle “choices.”  (Like being childless NOT by choice is a lifestyle choice.  I’m so sorry I didn’t have the necessary finances to “just adopt.”)  Anyway, I was struggling to maintain my joy and not feel completely and totally awkward when I saw a bird flying through the house!  My brother had gone outside and accidentally let a little bird inside.  Like the squirrel scene on Chevy Chase’s Christmas Vacation, a bit of panic ensued with everyone running around, kids screaming, and one cousin locking herself in a bedroom!  After turning out the lights, the scared little creature made its way to a windowsill.  My hubby, lover of all animals, gently grasped the trembling creature and freed it outside.

The commotion, one of the imperfections of life, caused me to forget how uneasy I felt and focus on my amazing hubby.  As I told him how incredible he was for helping the little bird, I realized how blessed I am to have this man in my life…

Our Infertility

And that brings me to one of the tiniest, little, minute imperfections of life—my husband’s and my infertility.  This miniscule imperfection only bothered me for a decade.  But now, I can honestly say that this imperfection of life has brought some of the greatest joy into my life…

Special Bonds with Nieces and Nephews

I recently mentioned that I truly do not believe we would have the incredible relationships with our nieces and nephews if we’d had kids of our own.  (Read “The Power in Being a Childless Aunt” here.)  And that would be sad indeed because the special times we’ve spent with them…  Well, it is hard to put into words.

Fur Babies

Valentine, Prancer, and Maddie would not have been such a huge part of our lives if we’d had two-legged kiddos.  Learning to embrace my role as Dog Mom and opening myself to the unconditional love of my puppies has been one of life’s greatest blessings.  (Read more about that here.)

Our Exchange Daughter

Finally, I do not believe that we would have hosted a foreign exchange student if we’d had kids of our own.  And that would have been a travesty, as Bruna and her Brazilian family have brought us more joy than we could have ever imagined.  Bruna is the most incredible young woman I have ever met.  And her family is beyond loving and kind and generous.  Our life would most certainly have a void if not for them…

The Imperfections of Life . . .

So, yes, I believe that the imperfections of life are actually not just a good thing, but one of the best things in life.  Dropped rings, hospital visits on wedding days, birds in the house at Christmas, and even infertility can all lead to beautiful moments.  We must simply be willing to see the joy through our tears, the happy beyond the pain, the beauty in an imperfectly perfect life…

Discover more Bright Sides of Infertility here…

Featured Photo:  Kaique Rocha on StockSnap.io