Perfect. Timing.

Last week I interviewed for a position with an education nonprofit. At the end of the interview, I learned that my desired start date might be a few weeks later than the organization would like. The opportunity would be great for me in so many ways, and I'd be great for the nonprofit too... but two weeks' difference might prove to be enough to undermine my candidacy.

So much in life is a matter of timing. Sometimes we take opportunities not because they're perfect--that is, exactly what we want--but because they're the best at the time (and we don't know if or when the perfect opportunity will come). Sometimes a job will be exactly what we want now but will lead to an unrewarding job down the line. To use marriage as an example, sometimes a perfect groom develops into an undesirable husband. After all, it's not only the job or spouse that changes; desires change too.

This variability of desire leads to the question: if something perfect can become imperfect, then why can't something imperfect become perfect? If so, is there any point in searching for--and waiting for--perfection? Either way, aren't we simply going to be hoping for the best? Maybe we shouldn't limit ourselves by considering only those opportunities that appeal to us. Maybe a certain job or person is only so-so now, but will be amazing later. Maybe it's amazing now, but will be only so-so later. Maybe my total happiness will be greater if I choose not the amazing option with the uncertain future, but the one that is pretty good and likely to stay that way. There's no way to know. So why worry?

Someone once told me that there isn't a right or wrong time for things to happen in life; things happen in life of their own accord and it's always the right time, because it's at that time that they happen. And the things that happen are the right things, because they are the things that happen.

In a follow-up email with the nonprofit organization, I almost said that my desired start date is flexible. But then I thought why bother? If I don't get the position, I'll be available to seize other, more perfect opportunities.