“The perfect being, you say? Well, I have to tell you the honest truth as I see it. In this world, nothing perfect exists. It may be a cliche after all, but it’s the way things are. That’s precisely why ordinary men pursue the concept of perfection, its infatuation! But, ultimately, I have to ask myself: what is the true meaning of being perfect? And the answer I came up with was…Nothing! Not. One. Thing. The truth of the matter is, I despise perfection. If something is truly perfect, that’s it. The bottom line becomes there is no room for imagination. No space for intelligence. Or ability. Or improvement. Do you understand? To men of science, like us, perfection is a dead end, a condition of hopelessness. Always strive to be better than anything that came before you, but not perfect! Scientists agonize over the attempt to achieve perfection. That’s the kind of creatures we are. We take joy in trying to exceed our grasp, in trying to reach for something that, in the end, we have to admit may, in fact, be unreachable.”
This dialog, uttered by the character Mayuri Kurotsuchi (from the Japanese comic “Bleach”), may not have any Masonic connection, but its message should be clear.
While we, as good men and Masons, constantly strive to make our ashlars as smooth and square as possible, we should understand that nothing we do can become perfect. To attain perfection is to challenge The Grand Architect itself, as nothing The Creator makes may be as perfect as The Creator.
Don’t fret, however, Brethren. The pursuit of improving yourself, those around you, and any other situation you find yourself in is, of itself, an incredibly noble, honorable, albeit arduous, task. This is one of the reasons I enjoyed the overall message of WB Chris Harris’ year (Navesink #9 – 2020): “Leave it better than you found it.” You may not be able to achieve perfection, but you can improve whatever it is so that those who come after will have a better place to start.
Honestly, Brethren, that’s all one can truly hope for. That you have made such a mark on your world and the world around you that those who come after will remember your deeds and celebrate your life.
Don’t be perfect. Be better.
Fraternally,
WM Andrew