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Over the many years I have been a professional counselor, I have met many people who would qualify as perfectionists. Some are easy to be around, very pleasant and non-judgmental. Others seem to have an attitude that things should be done a certain way, usually projecting that too many people do things the “wrong” way, of course with the belief that they actually know the “right” way.

Last week, my daughter and I went to Huber’s with some family members. It was a beautiful fall day, and I loved taking pictures of her sitting in the pumpkins and scarecrows. Often when we are on a trip, I take pictures of my daughter by herself, and with the other people with us. This day, though, I handed my camera off and asked to be in the picture, too.

I got my first camera for Christmas when I was almost 9 years old. The first pictures I ever took were of my brothers opening presents.

Over the years, I took many photos, often of family, friends and our home, but occasionally stranger subjects. (My mother got increasingly frustrated by the photos I kept taking of the trees in our front yard.)

In the late ‘90s, my favorite national-brand peanut butter came out with a silky-smooth chocolate version. I kept a box of crackers and a jar of the chocolate peanut butter on my desk at work for the late afternoon blahs. It was truly wonderful. They did make other flavors, but I never bothered with them. There was no point when there was chocolate peanut butter in the world.
Eventually, it was taken off the market and I moved on. I tried not to think about it too much, but from time to time I thought of it and wished there was a way to have it again.