At school, my needlework was regularly rated „5“, which corresponds to an „F“ in the US system.
Somehow, the teacher wouldn’t appreciate my idiosyncratic style as to how I set the stitches and use the cloth to create edgy shapes and expressive color combinations.
Now, when I look at the result of my needlework on Big Paul’s mosquito screen, I’m quite satisfied. The job was to fasten the magnets firmly. It took me a while, but now it’s done.
My stitches are still out of line. But I’m happy that I can fasten the magnets with a sturdy thread and do a robust seam that holds.
It’s far from perfect. But it does what it’s supposed to do. And it’s not my aspiration to „die in beauty“, as we say in Germany.
So, my reprehensive teacher must have had a beneficial influence on me anyway and, although not willingly, taught me something useful for life.
Learning how to handle perfectionism
Maybe it’s due to my upbringing or just a character trait – I admit I’ve got a perfectionistic streak. There are things that fire up my ambition and I really want them to be 100 per cent perfect, better even 110 per cent.
It’s the allure of „higher, faster, better“ that powers me up every once in a while.
But life taught me that you just drive yourself nuts and wear yourself out, if literally everything has to be better than best. I payed a price for my perfectionism that was not reasonable. Especially in my first career, where I tended to overdeliver all the time.
So, I had to learn to set priorities.
Giving myself a break
Perfectionism, yes – where it is really applicable and worth the invest. Then, perfectionism creates results that I can be really proud of. Other than that, half of the energy spent will do. It will still give an acceptable result.
With this strategy I get much more done in the same amount of time.
Working on our van is where reason meets invest. It’s an old car from the Postal Service, it doesn’t have to look fancy and new.
We never wanted a highly furnished, fully equipped modernistic camper van, but a realiable, low maintenance vehicle that can store and transport the tools and items necessary for an independent travel style.
For us, Big Paul is the “higher octave” of our beloved tent. It provides better shelter against bad weather and noise and gives us much more “room to move”.
We want a comfortable bed, because – as funny as it sounds – people of a certain age need their very good and undisturbed sleep.
When working or just relaxing and reading, we want to be able to sit in a laid-back position inside the car and have enough space around us to not feel completely fenced in.
We want to carry what is necessary. No more, no less.
That’s it.
Looks like we are on a good path with Big Paul.
Enjoying the gifts of nature
And meanwhile, we don’t forget to indulge in the colorful and tasty presents nature is offering us at this special time of the year. Some of my favorites can already be harvested:
Wild strawberries and newly sprouting spruce tips.
These berries are a real stand-alone. They have such an exceptional taste that anything else in addition would spoil the experience.
Spruce tips for a change make an aromatic and healthy tea. A traditional, natural remedy. Very soothing and balsamic, a real delight, not only when you’ve got a cold.
