Dings and Dents

What are dings and dents?  Imperfections.

New car.  Ding.

New furniture.  Dent.

New refrigerator.  Crack.

New clothes.  Hole.

Ironed clothes.  Wrinkles.

Perfectly straight hair. Curly.

I have naturally curly hair yet curly hair was not the desired popular hairstyle during my childhood and teenage years.

So it was thinned out, pulled, ironed and wrapped around big cans all in an effort to get it perfectly straight through the years. Yes, years.

Yet at the first rise in humidity or after a swim in the pool—the curls would spring back!

I even had an aunt that would critique my curly coiffure stating that it reminded her of a clown.  And that was not a compliment. 

It took me decades to wear my hair ‘naturally’ (curly) and also to embrace my ‘imperfections’.  And, now, I love my dings and dents. The pressures ‘to be perfect’ are off.  Expectations are lowered.  Disappointments decreased.

This also enables me to accept and embrace others with their own less than perfect attributes.  I actually look for ‘flaws’….not to fault (self or others) but to cherish them.

My Mother had never knit a day in her life, yet, for a wedding gift she surprised me with a gift of her love that took her many months ~an ecru knitted afghan.  I was so touched.  Yet, it was not until months later that her gift to me became even more precious as one of my most cherished possessions. 

One evening as I wrapped myself in this gift of love, warmed just by the thought of my Mom’s labor of love, I noticed that the blanket had an incomplete row. 

My heart smiled. 

The imperfection in the afghan is a reminder to me of how God, who alone is perfect, loves me just as I am and has a purpose for each of my ‘imperfections’.

He also cherishes my dings and dents, even my curly hair.

Wendy’s Witz-dom:  I love God’s sense of humor!  Read below.

God’s Wisdom: 

‘…For who can make straight, what God has made crooked (curly)?!?!’  Ecclesiastes 7:13

Wendy Lee Witz

© WitzEnd Writings

July 31, 2012