Reflections on reading

I was reading The Cloister Walk last night before I went to bed, and I was deeply engaged in the chapter on St. Therese. She was a rather fascinating young woman and rather inspiring. After all, Mother Teresa took her name from this particular saint. Anyway, in the chapter, St. Therese states that:

"Perfection consists in being what God wants us to be."

Wow. In an age where perfection is measured in inches and dollars and inclinations and dye jobs, it is reassuring to read that statement. While my readers all already know this (because we are all enlightened and educated, right?!), you don't have to Paris-Hilton thin and Natalie-Portman funny and Scarlet-Johansen proportioned and Angelina-Jolie pretty to be perfect in this world. Perfection is found in being who you truly are and living in a way that inspires and comforts others. You can have the most beautiful smile and biggest breasts and most porcelain skin in the world, but, if you aren't a "good person," it all matters naught. In a world where the average women's size is a twelve, it amazes me that our ideal of perfection is literally so small. Why does perfection have anything to do with appearance anyway? What is that about? Granted, we all like to gaze upon attractive and pleasing things, but perfection? Really. Give me a break.

It feels good to think that we are all capable of achieving perfection. It rests within and the without is completely irrelevant. I don't think God every commanded anyone to be a supermodel. (I'll have to check on that last statement to be sure."