Imperfect Harmony

I’ll be honest, most days, harmony is the last word I’d use to describe the state of my world. It’s fast paced, and loud, and at times it feels like “up” is the only direction the stream runs anymore.  

Now, as the hours, days, and weeks blend together, and chaos has become a state of equilibrium, what does a life in perfect harmony even look like?

Harmony, by definition, is agreement, consistency, free of dissent. Ghandi said, “happiness is when what you think, you say, and you do, are in harmony.” But what if these fundamental areas don’t always align?

Where is happiness then?

The problem I see is this: life, by design, forces us to lead lives of inconsistency. At work, at home, and in our relationships, we become multi-faceted versions of ourselves, not always in agreement with one another. Independent children. Worried parents. Aspirational professionals. Idealistic partners. Confusion in our thoughts, our words, and our actions driven by who we need to be in a given moment. 

As we work to nurture these different parts of our lives, it’s easy to think maybe we’re actually working against ourselves. But what if all this disagreement is actually what allows us to thrive? It forces us to exist as more than one version of ourselves. It challenges us to shift our thinking, to ask important questions, and it pushes us to be more than who we think we should, or can, be. In the end, this conflict may even send us down the most unlikely path to happiness.

Life is full—of roles, of responsibilities, of noise. It’s possible the greatest happiness comes when we embrace a new perspective and abandon the notion that true happiness can only be found in perfect harmony. 

Maybe there’s just as much beauty, and value, in choosing imperfect harmony.