Chapter 1 - PERFECTION

Chapter 1

PERFECTION

Perfection is an interesting word, conjuring up many thought images, and subject to a variety of intriguing interpretations. The very notion of perfection is classic: Ancient Greece considered perfection as something stable, achieved, and not subject to change. There is perfection in being all powerful; some would argue this as God, in whatever manner you chose to believe in a Supreme Being. There is perfection in being all knowing; from the context of a divine nature, as opposed to those who profess to be all knowing but fall markedly short. There is perfection in being everywhere; only possible if you believe in an all-powerful entity. There is perfection in being all good; although the conundrum of evil has motivated arguments that an omnipotent God could not possess this perfection. There is a strange perfection of being all evil; although the conundrum of good has motivated arguments that God could not possess this perfection. There is perfection of not being anywhere; an ability that so far has eluded me. There is the perfection of being all things to all people; a trait to which my wife aspires, or more succinctly to which she would have me aspire.

The perfection in anything, in any one, should be measured by the Laws of Nature, which are marked off by certain definite boundaries. In the case of virtue, a character trait assumed to be part of perfection, we have learned from history that its limit of perfection is the fact that it has no limit. It is impossible to attain perfection since perfection is not marked off by limits. When you come up against the limit of virtue…which is the absence of a limit, how then can one argue for the perfection of human nature? Perhaps the answer lies in its very growth in goodness, something my father once told me about “the process” of perfection.

The perfect Father

The role of our parents; father and mother….arguably the most influential roles in the shaping of our characters, defines to a large extent our definition and therefore the possibility of perfection. In trying to evaluate the attributes of the perfect father, you can expect that a perfect father is one who teaches their son how to become young man, their young man how to become an adult man and their adult man how to be a good father and husband. Along the way, they are supposed to also teach their daughter how a real man is supposed to be, and how a husband is really supposed to treat a wife. Father’s dispense sage advice to their children on all the issues that arise during their growth from the time they are infants until they are adults. Along the way fathers help guide their children through the tough decisions and the life challenges that arise. Father’s treat the mothers of their children properly and give them respect, again modeling correct behavior for their children. While modeling this behavior a father must still assure their wife of her value, beauty and constant wonder.

As far as I can ascertain, this world has yet to produce a man who has been a perfect father, husband, leader, provider etc, so when we examine the majority of fathers we find a collection of men with lives full of broken relationships, failed attempts, should have/could have/would have, and inconsistent actions. Due to divorce, abandonment (both literal and emotional), lack of concern, and general apathy, today’s world is rarely comprised of ideal marriages, complete families and solid relationships. So, we have to realize that no father is perfect. A part of evaluating perfection must include some reflections on how our relationship with our fathers, and how a father’s relationship with his family, could or should be better and different. A good father is really simply a man trying to be a better, more responsible man today then he was yesterday, while maintaining or improving the quality of the relationships that already exist in his life.

The belief that there should be a perfect father has moved some to seek a role model of “the perfect father” which can be filled by an influential man in our lives. Those influential men may be teachers, coaches, friends fathers, street thugs, or hoods. We must always remind ourselves that not all influences are good influences, just a substitute for desired perfection that doesn’t exist. My point here is that a man may become a surrogate father for people without officially getting the title, or without having the actual character traits desired by the one seeking that perfect father. This implies a duty of all men to be a good influence in the lives of anyone, rightly or wrongly, who may cleave to them.

The real question is that no matter how far a man may be from the ideal father, or role model, is there a perfect father? Is the ideal that there is always someone to whom you can always go to for direction, reassurance, and support? Is there truly an ideal father? Is there a good father? Is there a father that sacrifices and gives his all?

The perfect Home

The beauty about the innocence of childhood is the ability to hold on to the notion that the home in which you were raised was perfect. The perfect father, the perfect mother, the perfect home. Three bedrooms, two baths, 2.5 kids and all the amenities that constitute the accommodations for the perfect Nielson Ratings Home.

The perfect diamond

This whole thing started with just a little diamond. And finding that diamond was a process in itself. Pliny, the early Roman historian, said, "A damas (diamond) is the most valuable -- not only of precious stones, but of all things in the world." Diamonds are probably the most controlled precious stones in the world. Now, I have been around diamonds for a number of years. And I can tell you that my friends who have this insane passion for the incredibly boring game of baseball will tell you that a “perfect” diamond is 90 feet by 90 feet. But, for the type of diamond I was looking for, my baseball knowledge didn’t help me. I was in a whole new league. When I first began to look for the perfect diamond, I was a diamond rookie. Fifteen years of research later, I was a veteran.

As some of you may know, when you look for a diamond, you become quickly educated. Immediately, you will learn about the four C’s: carat, cut, clarity, and color. Personally, I like to add an extra C, which stands for cost. I was looking for the perfect diamond with just the right combination of the four C’s and, of course, the perfect diamond would also be the most costly.

When I went on my first research expedition, I told my guide that I was looking for the “perfect” diamond. And his response surprised me. He said, “You don’t really want the ‘perfect’ diamond.” I replied, “Yes, I do! I want a diamond that is perfect.” He said, “Well if you find a perfect diamond, then it would be best to lock it up and put it in a safety deposit box.” And then he explained to me, “‘perfect diamonds are too precious to be out in the open. They should not be exposed to the elements where they could get banged up or damaged. A “perfect” diamond is to be locked up and kept in a safe place.”

I was shocked. It seemed like such a waste that a diamond like that is so perfect, so pure, and so holy, that it could not interact with the world. You see in the Jewelry industry, perfect diamonds are too holy to be exposed to the world. In the context of the perfect plan, how interesting that the perfect diamond would be, for all intents-and-purposes, out of circulation.

A flawless diamond, not to be confused with the perfect diamond, contains no tiny cracks, pinpoints of carbon, foreign bits of other minerals, nor impurities of any kind which will reduce the cost of a diamond. Flawless stones are far from common, but they are not impossible to obtain. A quality jewelry store may have a good selection of flawless diamonds of various sizes and colors, but a perfect diamond is much more elusive.

The perfect thief

Kazuo is an expert professional safecracker, trained in numerous martial arts and the ancient study of the Samurai Warrior. He specializes in high-profile diamond jobs. After having spent many years in a Korean prison, he has a very concrete picture of what he wants out of life - including a showpiece wife (blonde of course), a custom home fully adorned with Winchester bronze statues and all things cowboy, and probably a few kids to complete the package. His is a contradiction in culture clash, not sure whether to maintain the roots of his Samurai heart, align himself with the lines of the Cosa Nostra, or give in to the guttural belching of the Western movie heroes who make up so much of his perception about the perfect life in the U.S. “I wear the finest Italian suits when I’m not wearing my blue jeans. I wear the best X-metal shades money can buy. I own cars in towns were it’s not even practical to drive. I'm a thief! You got a problem with that?" As soon as he is able to assemble the pieces of this perfect life, by means of his chosen profession, he intends to retire and become a model citizen. In an effort to accelerate this process, he signs on to take down a huge score for a big-time Yakuza boss. Unfortunately, Kazuo's obsession for his version of the American Dream allows him to overlook his natural wariness and mistrust, when making the deal for his final job. None of the participants in this sub-plot realizes the piece they play in the perfect plan.

The perfect world

Whatever your perception is about the perfect world…one thing I know for sure, this ain’t it. This world is about as far from perfect as one could imagine. So how could you begin to fit the concept of a perfect world in the perfect plan? The reality is that everyone, in their heart of hearts, believes there has got to be more to life than just this world. What would be the point if there wasn’t something better to look forward to? To understand the possibility of a perfect world, you have to have a frame of reference, some context within which the realm of possibility can be constructed to hold a set of ideals which plausibly allow you to formulate beliefs about why we are here. In order to put context around this story, you have to come to grips with the duality of a supreme force. Yin and Yang, Beginning and End, Good and Evil. Before the Japanese Yakuza, the Italian or Russian Mafia, before the Free Mason Society, the Illuminati or the Knights Templar…a more ancient society had been born. At the very birth of creation itself, one group had been destined to search throughout the ages and discover the secret location to the sacred Tree of Life. Unlike Ponce de León’s quest for the Fountain of Youth, historical documentation and current scientific research point to the existence of the ultimate fountain of youth. Whether you believe in the Bible or not, the facts are historical indisputable and independently verifiable. Everything you are about to read can be independently researched and validated.

The perfect Christian

In order to find God, perfection in itself, soul must purify itself of all foreign elements (Plato) and thus come to resemble or imitate the divine archetype. develops the original insight that perfection lies in progress itself, but in reality the concept of a perfect Christian is as oxymoronic as military intelligence or...