Jacques Derrida wrote about deconstruction, which is about thinking in paradoxes. Instead of thinking about binaries i.e. perfection or imperfection, we consider the opposites as being part of each other. We are unable to think of one without the other and continuously deconstruct the meaning.
This continuous making of meaning is a hermeneutic task of interpreting. Paul Ricoeur wrote about deep or radical hermeneutics, which considered context as part of the meaning-making process. Radical means to go the roots of something, so it requires the person look below the surface and turn things over.
I took a stab at writing a poem. after reading Mary Oliver today. I am reading a book of her essays called Upstream. She writes prose in a poetic way. I love walking in the mountains. Beauty and perfection of mountains reveal themselves in their lack of symmetry and imperfection. As well, there is always something hidden from sight, on the back side of a mountain and in the crevasses we cannot get close enough to.
Inspired by other’s words
I seek my own.
To discover meaning
I sit quietly and receive.
Meanings hold no meaning,
There can be no certainty.
Always something hidden,
On the backside, underneath.
Imperfection exists,
Making perfection complete.
It awaits my mindfulness,
The extraordinary in the ordinary.
I took this picture unsure of why at the time. Later, I used it in a presentation about environmentalism. Today, it adds depth and meaning to what I am trying to say.
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About ivonprefontaine
In keeping with bell hooks and Noam Chomsky, I consider myself a public and dissident intellectual. Part of my work is to move beyond (transcend) institutional dogmas that bind me to defend freedom, raising my voice to be heard on behalf of those who seek equity and justice in all their forms.
I completed my PhD in Philosophy of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. My dissertation and research was how teachers experience becoming teachers and their role as leaders.
I focus on leading, communicating, and innovating in organizations. This includes mindfuful servant-leadership, World Cafe events, Appreciative Inquiry, and expressing one's self through creativity. I offer retreats, workshops, and presentations that can be tailored to your organzations specific needs.
I published peer reviewed articles about schools as learning organizations, currere as an ethical pursuit, and hope as an essential element of adult eductaion. I published three poems and am currently preparing my poetry to publish as an anthology of poetry.
I present on mindful leadership, servant leadership, schools as learning organizations, how teachers experience becoming teachers, assessement, and critical thinking. I facilitate mindfulness, hospitality retreats. and World Cafe Events using Appreciative Inquiry.
I am writing and researching about various forms of leadership, how teachers inform and form their identity as a particular teacher, schools as learning organizations, hope and its anticipatory relationship with the future, and hope as an essential element in learning.
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 
Hey, you’re good. I like it, and it is brand new way (for me) to think of things. I’ve rarely been excited by perfection in a picture and thought the reason was because it seemed unreal. Now I have a better idea of the “why”. Thanks.
You are welcome and thank you.
I love it when we follow through on inner guidance and trust that the reasons reveal themselves at the right time. 😉 xoxoM
It is a great to be. It is what makes meditation/prayer so powerful.
“We are unable to think of one without the other and continuously deconstruct the meaning.” Yes, what is a mind to do, how to busy itself without all of this ‘making of meaning?’ Crazy stuff. I like your poem 🙂
Thank you. It is a challenge. Most of the time, making meaning flies below the radar as live life.