A poster on my office wall reads: Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful

I bought the poster because the text sounded very wise. And I thought I understood what it meant.

After all, it’s a simple philosophy, no?  

Yet, more often than not, we insist on a perfect curriculum before we can launch a programme, a perfect story before we can move forward for an exhibition, and a perfect picture before we can hang a work of art on the wall.

If I haven’t fully appreciated the wisdom of the poster text, then 2018 has offered me quite a few opportunities to do so.  

The past year has been less than perfect. Life has knocked me with some hard punches. It’s been a year of more downs than ups.

Over the year I have had to look at the poster many times, remind myself of this outlook on life, and rationalise the circumstances.

And I have asked myself: Why reserve my smiles for only when life becomes perfect?

Here’s wishing everyone a happy holiday. May your life be wonderful – even though it may not be perfect … yet.

Cheers to 2019!

Angeline Tong is an architect of narratives and Chief Curator at HOL, an experience strategy and curation consultancy. Angeline has a Master of Education (Human Development & Psychology) from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Museum Studies from Harvard University. She currently resides in Singapore.

To contact Angeline, email atong@hol.sg