It is time

it is time for me
to see the flaws of myself
and stop being alarmed

it is time for me
to halt my drive for perfection
and to accept my blemishes

it is time for me
to receive slowly evolving growth
the kind that comes
in God's own good time
and pays no heed to my panicky pushing

it is time for me
to embrace my humanness
to love my incompleteness

it is time for me
to cherish the unwanted
to welcome the unknown
to treasure the unfulfilled

if I wait to be perfect
before I love myself
I will always be
unsatisfied and ungrateful

if I wait until
all the flaws, chips, and cracks disappear
I will be the cup that stands on the shelf
and is never used

- Joyce Rupp
The Cup of Our Life: A Guide for Spiritual Growth
(Thanks to Susie for her "cup" picture)