Perfect is all I've ever wanted
and all that has ever been expected of me.
Before I was even born, everyone just kept
saying what a perfect baby I'd be.
The first words that were ever uttered to
newborn baby me were, "It's a perfect baby girl."
I was perfect on that date because
I wasn't misshapen or deformed and could breathe.
Perfect was what I strived for all through childhood.
I was the perfect student,
except for those times when I wasn't.
Those times when I was less than perfect are the ones I remember.
In high school, things got harder
so I worked harder and longer to achieve the coveted gold star and 100%.
For me those moments were too far and few in between.
Perfect was all I wanted out of life.
The first time I was told I didn't have to be perfect
I was in my freshman year of college and panicking about a project grade.
My mother stated those words as if it were just that simple.
Those words broke the wall holding back the flood of tears and I finally felt free.