Learning to live with the imperfect

Some imperfections seem, well, more imperfect than others - ie., have a harsher impact than others, but the fact remains nearly everything other than the tiny hands of babies or my 2 dachshunds are imperfect.   Me too.

There are elements of me that are hard for me to accept.  But I'm learning to.  (I still overeat, even as others go hungry.  That pisses me off about me).

So by extension, I'm learning to have patience with the small and large imperfect politics that have minor or serious impact on me, my neighbourhood and our biosphere.  (not to say there won't still be consequences).

10 years ago I was sure that people on welfare just had to take advantage of opportunities and if they didn't, well, why should I have to help pay their way?  It wasn't my fault they made poor choices, after all.

2 years ago I still wouldn't think twice about taking long flights across the world (and I'm still hoping to go to europe again in a couple years!)

If I can acknowledge that in a different time and place I saw life differently, perhaps I can reconcile myself to living with the imperfect, and hope that incrementally our politics will shift and evolve and deepen in commitment to building the kind of society I want (and the earth needs) to live in. 

So, no anti-poverty committee for me (although I can sure see the temptation sometimes).

On the other hand, Saturdays from 1 - 2 pm you can find me either on the corner of Gore/Cordova or Main/Terminal standing in protest that more of our tax dollars are going to fund the olympics than is going to provide housing for our mentally ill homeless. 

What imperfection have you reconciled to?  What are you not willing to live with?