Have you ever lost your footing?  Was it just a stumble?  Or perhaps an obliterated, disastrous fall? I’ve done both; and everything in between.  You know what?  You’re still here; I’m still here; and we’re all stronger for it.

This past Sunday I watched an incredible performance by the Peking Acrobats.  Undoubtedly the most intense act for me was the chair balancing routine.  With every chair that was stacked, I sunk deeper in my own seat and held my breath just a tad bit longer.  He had my reverence at the fourth chair, but kept going all the way to number 8.  Aside from a barely noticeable wobbling, it was flawless.  

flaw•less (adjective) without any blemishes or imperfections; perfect.

That particular display of perfection isn’t what stuck with me.  It is not what I’m going to carry in my heart on a daily basis.  What I most valued, and was reminded of, was the beauty of imperfection.

At three different points, something didn’t go as planned.  One of the rings got knocked down, a yoyo fell off the string, and the spears holding up a man were too much to endure - the first time.  Without any fanfare, the entire team rewound their steps to the point of failure and attempted the feat again.  On the second time, success prevailed.

im•per•fect (adjective) not perfect; faulty or incomplete.

Life is so messy!  As toddlers we trip, teeter, stagger...and ultimately gain our footing.  In many ways we do the same as adolescents.  And, unless you have some true super human power, we continue this circuitous route into adulthood.  We learn to walk, run, sprint, dance, and so much more.  Why?  Because we never gave up.  

Those of you reading this message are either parents or educators.  Most of us ;-) made a deliberate choice to either bring a child into this world or to dedicate our life work in service of children.

For the benefit of OUR children, let’s embody the beauty of the Peking Acrobats in all that we do.  Let us be intentional in our practice to become excellent.  Let us communicate effectively as we work together.  Let us forgive ourselves when we make mistakes.  Let us make it our priority to ensure everyone thrives.  Let us be confident and fearless in our maneuvers throughout life!