One of the greatest lessons in life is learning to appreciate the fallibilities of others, especially those closest to us. We want our loved ones to be perfect, without fault, free from mistake and incapable of disappointing us. Yet we’re all fallible. And one beautiful lesson if life is finally being able to love someone not in spite of, but inclusive of their missteps.
My first great disappointment: finding out my father wasn’t perfect; it truly crushed me. That might have been my first true internal struggle - dealing with a role model that made mistakes, mistakes that disappointed me and dismantled the pedestal I had created for him. Unaware of my own naivety, it cut deeply.
Time, more disappointment, and a greater understanding of humanity and my own flaws has led me to appreciate the frailties in others. There are no flat characters in life, we’re all round and usually it’s the bumps along the way that have plumbed us up. And loving others for their entire selves, not just the image displayed on Main Street is worthwhile and wonderful and real and necessary.
