Imperfection is Beauty in Relationships | How To Build Strong Relationships

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It’s Canada Day and it is a tradition now for me to post this picture on my social media. The maple leaf is a symbol of Canada, but in this picture, it is imperfect and torn, yet still beautiful. In many ways, this picture represents relationships with family and friends. Learning how to build strong relationships has more to do with accepting imperfection to find the beauty within each other.

There is so much hate on social media and the news. People always quick to judge others. Are we bringing that mentality into our personal relationships too?

It was this very reason that I try to shield myself from negativity as much as possible. I rarely watch the news and have succumbed to scanning social media most days.

I know myself well enough now that getting sucked into negative “news” isn’t good for my mentality on personal relationships or my outlook on other aspects of my life. I’d personally like to spend my evenings enjoying some hygge (hoo-guh, my new favorite word!), rejuvenating my introvert tendencies and mindset.

The Story Behind The Picture

The picture of the maple leaf was taken in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I had traveled there to be with my sister’s family as they prepared for my niece’s surgery. She was still a teen but was in the biggest battle of her life.

Not long before that, she was 16 years old and had been diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (also known as the Terry Fox Cancer), a genetic bone cancer that targets youth. My sister and her family had traveled to Vancouver to have this surgery. The best surgeon in the country, for this type of surgery, was practicing there. They were in a strange city, going through an extremely stressful situation.

I had asked my sister if she wanted me to be there. I told her that I’d book a flight if she needed me. She accepted and here I was, by their side, supporting them or trying to support them the best that I could during this very difficult time.

The purpose of the surgery was to remove cancer from her knee. They didn’t know what the outcome would be. The doctor wouldn’t know if the leg could be saved but he was hopeful and so were we.

In the end, she was able to keep her leg, with an artificial knee. I lovingly call her my bionic niece. Thankfully, she is cancer-free and is living proof that strong relationships help any battle in life. There are a few life lessons during this trip that I personally gained:

• Life is too short to allow hate to consume you.
• A sister’s bond, no matter how different you are, is special.
• Finding a way to laugh during dark times, shows just how strong you are.
• Strength in relationships can help guide you through any battle in life.

Build Strong Relationships

Sometimes I look at this picture of the imperfect and torn leaf and think of the hate people spew about events and people in this world. I am sad that people are so quick to judge when we should be embracing differences and imperfections.

When we stop judging and open our minds and hearts to the gifts people can bring into our lives, darkness fades away.

Stop expecting perfection from people, everyone is human. Embrace their imperfections, accept them for who they are, and love them for the gifts they bring into your life.

Not every relationship or connection is positive. However, if you gain more insight into who you are, your authentic self, then that person was a gift for the time they were in your life.

Perfection isn’t required to building strong relationships. It doesn’t need common interests, but it does require flexibility and open-mindedness. Relationships need acceptance of the imperfect qualities that make us beautifully unique. When we can accept each other for our individual strengths then we can build strong relationships.

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