Perfection by Lynn Hsu

As a kid growing up in the 80s, I could never play more than a few rounds of the board game called Perfection. To win, players frantically match up all the geometric shapes before the time expires and the tray explodes, pieces flying everywhere. It was too stressful for me and I often lost. One small misalignment of a piece could be disastrous for the whole board.

I drew this cartoon during the pandemic, when I struggled with managing the pieces of my life– job, household, family, kids, relationships, and health.  Boundaries of work and life became blurred with remote work and kids’ schooling. The pressures and expectations I put upon others and myself as a mother, teacher, wife, professional, caregiver, were too high. When things didn’t go as planned or fell through the cracks, I felt like a failure. I couldn’t manage all the pieces well.

For me, perfection became a source of anxiety. Just like the game, a mindset that has no room for error is unhealthy and I realized I had to change. It was ok to let things go. My life wouldn’t fall apart. I’m much happier celebrating the small wins instead of focusing on the losses. Imperfection is better.

Lynn Hsu is a writer and cartoonist living in Boston. She is a contributor to Air Mail, The American Bystander, Weekly Humorist, Slackjaw, and other publications. Her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net Award. See her stories and drawings at www.lynnihsu.com, and follow her on Instagram: @loopyline and Twitter:@LynnIHsu