The Double Rainbow

Two rainbows at once.  See them?  Must be a specially good sign…

Honouring The Imperfect

It was towards the end of our time in Marrakesh that I experienced one of ‘those’ moments.  The moments when with every fibre of my being I think, ‘It was worth coming all this way just to see (or hear) that!’

Maryam, our über-talented hostess, was discussing imperfection.  She explained that the Moroccan people (and Muslims in general) believe nothing is perfect except God.  Since we’re all flawed, then, striving for perfection is pointless.  It can only ever lead to disappointment because we’re chasing the impossible.  Instead, the imperfection of things made by humans - be they pots or decisions - should be embraced.

This thought alone makes me exhale deeply, my shoulders drop, my lips curve into a smile, my mind settle into a more tranquil place.  How wonderful.  How liberating.  How comforting.

But…. here‘s the best bit.  To honour this way of thinking, Maryam has deliberately laid one tile the wrong way round in every bathroom at Peacock Pavilions (see the picture above).

Friends, when I heard this, my heart soared.  Soared and sang!  As an incorrigible perfectionist, I need constant reminders to let go of crippling, stultifying, dizzyingly high standards….reminders that tell me flawed doesn’t necessarily equal bad.  To actually build those reminders into the fabric of your surroundings is, I think, a stroke of genius!

Over the coming months, then, I plan on finding ways to incorporate a few reminders into my own rooms and spaces.  And for that particular idea, it was absolutely worth going all the way to Morocco and back.