Perfect.

It is defined as being ‘as good as it’s possible to be’.

Ideal, without fault, flawless.

But should that be the kind of person that we search for?

For what is a life lived without error, without mistakes, without getting knocked down and picking yourself back up again?

And what is a love without compromising, without learning, and without growing?

Know that even if you’re not perfect, I will still want you.

Because if ever you get things wrong (and of course I do too), I get to watch you make them right again. And what more could a girl ask for, than a man who knows how to fix something that’s broken?

When your words or your actions bruise me, I see the pain in your eyes as you see mine. And I see how beautifully human you are.

We are so much more than our many mistakes. We are works of art in progress. We’re still figuring this life thing out, and occasionally we will fall down. But without question, we’ll be there to help each other back up again.

Even if you’re not perfect, I will still love you.

Because the beauty of every great love that has ever graced time, is in its imperfection. The parts of both people that don’t quite fit together, and in the act of trying to make sense of that.

I’ll happily take you, flaws and all, and do my best to shape my pieces so they fit a little better next to yours.

I promise to still love you, even at your worst, like I said I would. Because I know that if we can get through this, we can pull ourselves through anything. The craziest of storms, and the most tragic of days.

And even if you’re not perfect, I will still choose you. I will still choose us.

Because perfection would make this all too easy, wouldn’t it? And I believe nothing worth having in this life will be easy.

Perfection wouldn’t be satisfying. Perfection would give us nothing to work for, nothing to keep waking up each day and fighting for.

I want to fight with you, and I want to make up with you. I want to grow with you. I want to change with you. I want to do everything, with you.

I will still choose you today. I will still choose you tomorrow. And I will keep on choosing you every day after that, because I was sure of the man I chose that very first day. And I’m as sure of him today as I was then.

Even if you’re not perfect, I will still want you, I will still love you, and I will still choose you.

Because, my love, I choose us.

Sometimes, all it takes is one book. One book that turns your world upside down. One book that changes your entire life.

Bloom by Shani Jay available here.