Ah, perfection, you devil,
driving dedicated dudes to delusions of grandeur,
or to early graves from stress.
Not me, though.
Perfection, you will not have my soul.
I will redefine you.
Not a hair out of place becomes wild and free ~
catching the wind and the sun.
The manicured lawn goes native,
A natural home for bugs and birds.
Business casual has become
Hoodies and yoga pants with clogs.
Take THAT perfection!
You have no power over me.
There’s a yard on Grace Street I often pass on my way home. Over the years, the person who lives in the house has collected more and more yard art. I suspect people in the community have also contributed. Some unenlightened people might consider this an eyesore. I think it’s perfectly magnificent! Recently my friend was driving and offered to stop so I could take pictures. That’s when I discovered this was not just a collection of funky yard art. This is the Grace Street Prayer Garden! Who needs perfection when you can have Grace?
~~~
To learn more about Stream of Consciousness Saturday,
visit our host, Linda Hill
Anything is Possible! 
February 4, 2023 at 10:09 am
Hi JoAnna, I also like this garden. It has a delightful freedom about it. I am a terrible perfectionist but I don’t look like one 😉
February 4, 2023 at 8:54 pm
Ha! I know what you mean about not looking like a perfectionist. My husband is a perfectionist about some things, like punctuality, but he’s definitely not neat. Freedom is a good word for the Grace Street Garden. Thank you!
February 5, 2023 at 12:34 pm
That is exactly right, perfectionism can extend to some parts of your life and not others.
February 4, 2023 at 10:15 am
Reblogged this on https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
February 4, 2023 at 9:02 pm
Thank you so much for the reblog!
February 4, 2023 at 12:01 pm
I enjoyed your poem and relate to needing to tame the perfectionist in me. The funky garden is a bit too wild and junky for my tastes, but grace and prayers are good.
February 4, 2023 at 9:06 pm
I’m so glad you enjoyed the poem and could relate to it. To be honest, I would not have that much funky junk in my yard, but it was fun to look at.
February 4, 2023 at 10:15 pm
Thanks JoAnna. Yes, the yard could be fun to see briefly. 😊
February 4, 2023 at 1:11 pm
Love your poem! I, too, once struggled with perfection but hold onto orderliness to reduce stress and promote clear thinking. While the Grace Street garden would be fun to explore as an outsider, I would find it difficult to live with so much disorder. To each his/her own.
February 4, 2023 at 9:16 pm
Thanks, Rosaliene. I’m glad you loved the poem. A certain amount of order and organization does help reduce stress. I know what you mean about the garden.
February 4, 2023 at 2:36 pm
This is so good, JoAnna. What an uplifting post.
February 4, 2023 at 9:30 pm
Thank you, Dan. I’m very glad to uplift! 🙂
February 5, 2023 at 11:09 am
What a great yard!
February 5, 2023 at 9:04 pm
I’m glad you see the greatness in it, Dave. Your vision shows an open mindedness. 🙂
February 6, 2023 at 11:16 am
Thank you! I’ve been working on it. I didn’t want to be the hard-nosed conservative anymore. Both parties are insane. I’d rather just be me.
February 6, 2023 at 9:01 pm
The two-party system is a mess. Truth is usually somewhere close to the middle. I’m glad you’ve moved in that direction.
February 7, 2023 at 11:53 am
Me too.
February 10, 2023 at 10:08 am
Loving the little splashes of color and countless stories hidden throughout this yard and poem! ❤
February 10, 2023 at 9:00 pm
Oooh, stories hidden throughout the yard! I love that awareness. Thank you, Layla. So glad you enjoyed the poem and post.