January 2016, I found myself walking on the beach in North Carolina. Even though it was a gloomy winter day, it was still warmer than Wisconsin. And being from Wisconsin, I could not help but dip my toes in the cold Atlantic water. I wish I could say my visit was for pleasure, but sadly I was there for an uncle’s funeral.
Uncle Terry (Robert was his given name) was my dad’s oldest brother. He was a good man. He loved his family, the outdoors—and as all Conway men—telling a good story. I thought about him as I leisurely strolled on the beach, stopping to look at shells.
I came upon a beautiful half shell surrounded by foamy bubbles brought in by the waves. Despite the cracks, it was a pretty picture.
I love that picture and recommended it for the cover of my book. Instead, the publisher put it on the back of the book, and it filled my heart. The picture reminds me that our flaws and cracks only add to our lives and the beauty of it. Nothing, and no one, is perfect. We strive for perfection that we rarely meet and while striving for that perfection, we sometimes don’t see the beauty that surrounds us.
And many times, we don’t see the beauty inside of us. We are all flawed in our beautiful ways. Our cracks and scars are part of the tapestry that defines us and makes us who we are. Embracing and understanding our flaws helps us to thrive.