"The only advantage of not being too good a housekeeper is that your guests are so pleased to feel how much better they are." 

                                     ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Ha ha.
And yes. Another Eleanor quote.
(The last for awhile, I promise.) 

Mrs. Roosevelt has been a touchstone for me the past few weeks since my husband and I watched the PBS special, "The Roosevelts."

I appreciate how the lighthearted quote above speaks to the recovering perfectionist in me.  

I recalled how I thought like this in several past situations in which I found myself not "as good" as I would like to be (besides housekeeping).

For example, when I have given a talk and fallen short of my standards for excellence. I found it helpful, not only to accept the feeling and aim to improve, but to realize that I may very well be doing a service for someone in the audience who is thinking, "I could do better than that." That person might then find a platform for her message instead of holding herself back.

Eleanor was not a perfectionist. She seemed to beautiful accept that no one is perfect and no life situation is perfect. I don't have an exact quote, but many times, in many ways, she recommended we look for the good, find what we respect in someone, and focus on that. 

With hope, joy, and reverence,
Charlene

------------------------

REVERENCE: May you appreciate the wonder that you are and the miracle of all creation. (from The Twelve Gifts of Birth)

-------------------------

Feel free to share Today's Touchstone with others.

When you do, please forward this page in its entirety. Not a subscriber?

To receive Today's Touchstone messages regularly,
please subscribe here:www.CharleneCostanzo.com 
(c) 2012 Charlene Costanzo 

Charlene Costanzo is the author of  The Twelve Gifts series of books:
The Twelve Gifts of Birth
The Twelve Gifts for Healing
The Twelve Gifts in Marriage
The Thirteenth Gift 
Touchstones: Stories for Living The Twelve Gifts 

October 11, 2014

-------------------------