Perfection

Last night we had a Third Degree at Lodge. There were three people who did not show up to take parts they were supposed to take. We did the degree anyway. We had a couple of guys who had never done their parts before and yet, the candidate had a good degree.

There had to be some prompting, so what!

I remember years ago when I first learned the Apron Lecture and gave it for the Rainbow Girls. I think I did it the best I have ever done it. A man came up to me and told me that it was the best Apron Lecture he had ever heard. Then for years I did not give it. When I tried to re-learn it and bring it back so I could perform it again I froze and had to be prompted. I felt like crap. I had to remember what Oliver had said the first time he gave the Lecture and left a little bit out. He said, "Well the candidate didn't know and the walls of the Temple did not fall down, did they?" I have to remember that lots when I deal with ritual.

Everybody wants to do a perfect job and sometimes we get it down. I have a friend in Des Moines (who shall remain nameless (g) ) who does almost perfect ritual. He really does. I often wonder how he does it. The other night I heard him real off some sports statistics and realized that, hell, he has a better memory than I do. Doesn't make him a better person (although he is one of the good guys) just more able in some areas.

I really love it when I see good ritual. I hate it when it is performed poorly. But I hate it even more when I hear someone correct ritual during a meeting. It is all right to prompt and in fact, there should be a designated prompter for every meeting because everyone can have a little "glitch" in their memory (yes even Grand Officers and Grand Masters) but in the end it is no big deal.

There was a good feeling in the room last night. The candidate got a good degree and I am sure he enjoyed it. I was sorry we had to scramble at the last minute to fill a few places and a couple of us had to do two parts but we got through it and it was done well for the most part. It is the overall feeling of Brotherhood that counts. That was perfect in the room. Everybody pulling together under unforeseen, adverse conditions to do the best job they could.

I really don't know where you can find perfection. I think of Hyacinth Bucket (Bouquet) on Keeping Up Appearances on PBS. She is always looking for perfection and most of the time (in her mind) she is able to believe she will find it. Yet when she smells the flower in the opening credits there is a little worm on it. Not perfect surely, but a perfect piece of visual humor.

Surfers are always looking for the "perfect wave" and there was a movie awhile back called "The Perfect Storm" - I didn't see it but I reference it here because it popped into my mind.

I am not perfect. I try to get things right but I don't always do so. I have problems with spelling (thank the Lord for spell-check) and I mess up relationships at times. I just have to accept that I won't always be able to live up to the standards of the "perfection monster" and hope that others can accept me the way I am. I have been around for almost 66 years and it is about time I realized that there was only one perfect person since the dawn of time and look what they did to him.

So, Custodians and MI/DL's if somebody goofs up - work with us to help us do better but do it quietly and kindly. That is the Masonic way to do it. Don't just show off that you know how to do it correctly and make us feel stupid for making an error. And for heaven's sake don't stand up in open Lodge and do your critique. That doesn't help - cause after all "nobody's perfect."
Hugs, j-bear

Addendum:
* The principle mark of genius is not perfection but originality, the opening of new frontiers.
–Arthur Koestler, 1905 - 1983