A fancy human being

An abnormal, yet wonderful looking beehive, circa 1960s!

Page 13 of The Importance of Being Imperfect
"Today as during the Romantic movement, what we usually want unconsciously is a fancy human being with no flaws. When the mental picture we have of someone we love is colored by the wishes of childhood, we may love that picture rather than the real person behind it. Naturally, we are disappointed when the person we love does not conform to our picture. Since this kind of disappointment has no doubt happened to us before, one might suppose we would then tear up the picture and start all over. On the contrary we keep the picture and tear up the person. Small wonder that divorce courts are full of couples who never gave themselves a chance to know the real persons behind the pictures in their lives....Our need for an imperfectionist attitude could be said to be based on the fact that we cannot enjoy what we are perpetually choking in ourselves or others. One of the greatest gifts we can bestow on another person is to allow breathing room for that person. When we refuse to provide room for that which does not harmonize with our picture of the perfect, we are takers of life in the name of LOVE."

"The Importance of Being Imperfect"

The title of this book literally jumped off the shelf at me, and there in the inside front flap of this hard covered book was the name of my great grandmother... Written by John Robert Clarke copyright 1961 from David McKay Company, Inc. NY

"Modern life today, with all its scientific and social advance, has continued to produce a surprising number of humorless, anxious men and astringent, nerveless women who say they are not perfect and behave as though they were. The wide public belief that these perfectionists comprise only a minority group of superior souls who work harder than anybody, and refer to its oftener, is not quite true. In their striving to reach or to maintain a fancied state of flawlessness they have virtually every aspect of modern society.
Wherever found--in the bassinet, at the kitchen sink, at the stockholder's meeting, on the leaky garage roof, at church socials or behind college podiums, they have one telltale characteristic in common: perfectionists are picture straighteners on the walls of life"

In response, I think its about time that we try to embrace our imperfections, and enjoy the humor that life brings....

In this blog I intend to quote from random vintage books that have long been forgotten. Most of these books are now available online. And also, I intend to post goofy photos of people whose faces will most likely be forgotten by history, but whose history will remain in a unique image....one that at least I appreciate :)

To read the book I quoted above just download it for free

*A crooked picture on the "wall of life": a vintage photo of a goofy guy with big ears & a plaid tie..