There is a tendency in life (and certainly online) to show only the perfect. Unfortunately, a beautiful picture is just that – beautiful, but only a picture. It doesn’t always tell the whole story. When I started this blog, the purpose wasn’t to show off a perfect life, but rather, a real one.
There are always going to be moments when things don’t go our way, aren’t what we hoped for, and we feel frustration for all the imperfections of the things we can’t control.
A nice little example is my effort with pickles this year… I kept waiting this summer to share my newest amazing fantastic pickle-findings with you, but after three botched attempts, I need to chalk this one up to failure. Cucumbers have a very short growing season and I missed it. This is not to say that there are no pickles. I made loads of them. They taste okay, but they didn’t turn out how I wanted them to. Some were too big and are floating around in the jars. Some turned out a bit wrinkly. Some didn’t seal correctly. The funny part is that I couldn’t let it go. I tried the damn thing three times!! At some point in time, Albert Einstein described insanity as, “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. This pickle effort could possibly be described as cuckoo, crazy, or possibly insane.
When do you decide you have had enough? How do you move past hurdles when it becomes clear that success is not within your grasp? How do you know when to change gears? At some point mid-August, I had to admit defeat in the 2013 pickle category and it didn’t feel good. But, that’s the truth. My message today is:
Know that you aren’t the only one to get frustrated.
Know that you aren’t the only one who fails.
We all do.
Truly.
We just usually don’t like to admit it, and we certainly don’t want to broadcast it to the world or Facebook. So, without further ado, here are some photos of imperfect pickles. I will try again next year. Or I won’t. We’ll see how I’m feeling about it next summer.
Poole Party of 5 
nicely put!
I keep my failed (as in epic fail) dandelion wine attempt from years ago on my pantry shelf. Those dusty bottles offer humility and perspective every time I grab a jar of jam.
Humility and perspective are definitely good… curious to hear more about dandelion wine, though.
Well…they look pretty. Appreciate this post of imperfection, nicely said.
Thanks, Blair!
This is the very thing I’m loving most about your blog; the honest reality of sharing your life from the heart” the good and the bad, the beautiful, and the homely aspects of life that many are afraid to air. As if no one has ever had dirty laundry!
Recently I designed and sewed a beautiful skirt for a Christmas party but spent nearly all night constructing a top to go with it. Around 1:00am the top ended up in the trash and the next morning I ransacked five boutiques in downtown Coeur d’Alene befor I found something suitable. Failures can be frustrating and humbling experiences, while valuable in their own right.
Kimberley ~ I’m so glad that you are enjoying reading the blog. Your Christmas outfit project sounds like exactly something I would do. Hilarious and humbling. Thanks for sharing your experience!