imperfect beauty

Today I woke up early and the sun was shining.
Daffodils standing at attention in the
neat rows that I planted last fall.
Another winter behind
another spring upon us.
I sat on the front step and I drank my coffee,
Listening to the birds singing to each other
Watching the school buses up and down the street.
Even the garbage truck couldn’t ruin the mood.
The sun was warm on my face and my head.
The air was fresh with the clean scent of cut grass.
Sometimes in moments like this
I get sad for what I’ve lost, or
What I don’t, didn’t, or never will have.
Today though, I feel good.
I have the sunlight and I have my coffee.
I have my family and my friends and
Even if not everything is perfect
its okay.
In the older days, the Quakers would always leave
something small left not quite right on each project.
Maybe a dropped stitch in a sampler or
A slight mar in a piece of furniture.
It was a way of remembering that we are not perfect, but
we can still be
beautiful.
Maybe today
I have just a little of that imperfect beauty in me.