Ah, if only it were a perfect world. But wait, is it right to yearn for perfection when there is so much wrong with the world?

The Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi teaches that the world is beautiful in its simplicity, imperfection, and transience. What does it take to convince an American that imperfection and transience are fundamental laws of the universe? Well, a heck of a lot it turns out.

In fact, it seems like perfectionism is simultaneously the greatest strength and saddest weakness Americans have. Take produce for example. In this article at treehugger.com, our obsession with pristine looking fruits and vegetables is keeping us hooked on pesticides and destroying the heath of the planet. The art of wabi-sabi embraces the look of organic lettuce. But looking beyond the surface, wabi-sabi can also lead you to the hidden treasure in that holey lettuce. Flavonoids! That lettuce that had been gently munched by grasshoppers is likely to have significantly higher levels of beneficial chemicals from that family of phenols.

So my conclusion is that although perfectionism can drive advances in the world, true harmony and healthy existence comes from accepting imperfection. Consciously use wabi-sabi in a few of your decisions during the rest of the day or the next time you go grocery shopping. You may find yourself feeling more at ease with the world and yourself.