The Perfect Human Being - A Short Story

There was once a human that was considered to be the epitome of humanity. One might have called him the perfect human being. He was absolutely fantastic in every regard. The whole world agreed that he was the example of what a human could become, and what everyone should strive to become.

First, his looks. His body looked like it was chiseled out of marble. His facial symmetry shocked every mathematician in the world. His long curls fell from his perfectly shaped head like delicious Italian pasta. And his complexion was one of sunkissed gold. His physical appearance radiated limitless health and power. A truly perfect human being.

Second, his mind. His intellect was sharper than any sword and faster than any bullet. His thoughts were original, interesting, and infinitely fascinating. His intelligence and creativity overshadowed even the greatest thinkers and artists. His mind was open, yet rational, relaxed, yet focused. There was no mental challenge his mind was unable to conquer. A perfect human being indeed.

Third, his personality. There was not one person who wasn’t enchanted by his wonderful demeanor. He was charismatic but never manipulating. He was always kind but could stand up for himself and others. He was gentle, yet firm. All his actions were decisive but he would always find the best outcome for everyone. His words were like song and flowed like a calm river in spring. Well-spoken and a good listener. Truly a rare breed, this perfect human being.

Naturally, this perfect human being lived a life everyone was dreaming of — a wonderful partner, a flourishing career, plenty of money, a beautiful home, many friends, and everything else anyone could ever wish. And although no one had a reason to dislike him, there were, of course, those that were jealous of his perfect life.

But, you know, this was nothing serious. No one had a real grudge, just the normal kind of human envy.

What most of his admirers didn’t see, however, was how this perfect human being lived his daily life.

To keep his toned muscles he would lift weights and run many miles daily, and only eat a limited selection of foodstuff. To keep his face pretty he would apply a dozen cleansing and moisturizing creams. And to keep his curls perfectly curly he would need the right shampoo and conditioner and always wash his hair in a circular motion each motion taking exactly 2 seconds.

To keep his mind in shape he would meditate every morning and evening for two hours and read books on all the topics and ideas in the world. He would write and paint and sculpt to keep his creative juices flowing. And whenever he had a spare minute he would play chess to sharpen his mind. All of that he would do in between his ten-hour work days.

To keep up his appearance of a kind, gentle, charismatic, and decisive person, he would practice his speeches, prepare his dialogues, learn funny jokes by heart, think about the perfect words, and always keep his emotions in check. Not one day would pass where he didn’t practice the tonality of his voice and the effectiveness of his expression.

What dedication, you must think, this alone shows how perfect this perfect human being must have been. There must not have been a happier person in this world or the next. This person by virtue of his perfection must’ve felt like all of us would like to feel.

But was that truly the reality of it?

Absolutely not.

While everyone only saw the result, the perfect human being had the whole burden to carry. Outwardly he appeared perfect but inwardly he felt anything but perfect. Although he always projected an air of effortlessness, the projection of said air cost him tremendous effort.

He was constantly plagued by fears, worries, and anxieties. What if he would slack and people would see through his act? What if suddenly something went wrong and his perfection started to fade? What if he can no longer keep up with all the demands he and everyone else is making on himself?

Never at ease, never truly relaxed, never feeling like himself, and always pouring all his energy into animating the perfect human being he was playing. His existence truly was a miserable one. He was tired beyond belief and all he yearned for was some rest, a long vacation from his position as the perfect human being, perhaps even forever.

One evening, when he was particularly troubled by his absurd predicament, he went on a walk. He walked past the tall buildings he sees every day, the countless coffee shops and food places, stopping here and there, judging his reflection with disgust in every window he passed.

His mind was churning on the question of how he could possibly keep living like this. What’s the point of such a life — a life of appearances and pretenses? He realized that he would gladly surrender all his perfection for peace of mind, for freedom from himself. He himself was the cruelest slave driver, and he himself was also his most obedient slave.

As he wondered in despair and desperation how to escape his suffering, he saw an old man sitting on a park bench not really doing anything. The man, quite frankly, looked like a bum. His clothes seemed old and dirty, his hair and beard ruffled and unkempt. Generally, his appearance was one of someone who didn’t care one bit.

But when the perfect human being looked into the old man’s face, he was stunned. Never had he seen such an expression. The old man looked calm and peaceful and utterly unfazed. He seemed invincible, unconquerable like the world and all its troubles were just rolling off him like water from an umbrella. And although he was clearly of old age, he radiated youth and energy and playfulness like an old man and a child all in one.

The perfect human being was, despite his perfection, afraid to approach the old man. Perhaps because he sensed that this man would see right through him and expose his inner poverty. And yet, he was drawn to him, unwillingly moving toward him like an insignificant piece of metal not being able to withstand the pull of a mighty magnet.

With no other option, he simply sat down next to the old man. The old man, on the other hand, didn’t move one inch. He didn’t even acknowledge the presence of the perfect human being, which was quite an unusual experience for the perfect man who would usually draw all attention to him. This destabilized him even more.

The mere seconds of silence next to this old man felt like an eternity to him, like an otherworldly tension that threatened to tear him apart. And when the roaring silence became almost too much to handle the old man turned to him and addressed him with the gentle voice of an elder, “What’s the matter young man? You seem quite aggravated.”

For the first time in his life, the perfect human being was speechless. Such a simple and straightforward question and he was at a loss for words. Was his inner conflict that obvious? Wasn’t he a master at hiding his imperfections? He was raking his brain for the perfect answer when he suddenly realized how silly he is being. He was still trying to keep up his act.

So instead, he just stopped his calculating ways and spoke from the heart, “My whole life I have been playing this role and although it seemed like the perfect role, it took everything from me. I don’t know how to keep going. I am tired and afraid and angry and confused. Nothing makes sense anymore and I just want to get out of it.”

“I see,” the old man replied “but isn’t barking at the wrong tree just part of life?”

“What do you mean?” asked the perfect man puzzled.

“Well, there is something we all want and we assume we know how to get it. So we just go and start chasing and keep hitting our heads against the same wall in the hopes that we’ll break through the wall and find what we want on the other side. But, you know, heads usually break easier than walls.”

After mulling over the old man’s words for a while, the perfect human being, replied in a defeated voice, “I see what you mean. I feel like my head is about to break or maybe it already has broken and I’m suffering the shock. But you, you seem like you have found. I don’t know what it is but I want what you have.”

The old man closed his eyes and went, “Hmmm,” as if pondering how to respond to this young man’s plight.

“I don’t have anything.” the old man replied finally. “I, perhaps, have been the most foolish of them all having hit my head against so many walls. Perhaps all this hitting my head has made me a little soft in the head as well.” he chuckled. “But,” he continued “hasn’t all this struggle brought you to this point — the point where you’re finally looking at yourself and your life honestly? Isn’t that the gift you have received? Maybe this whole head-hitting-against-walls business is not about breaking through walls but about breaking your head. Maybe this is what is necessary to turn in the right direction.”

Those words hit a chord with the perfect man and tears started streaming down his face. It was as if the old man’s words were exactly the right tool to break the unbreakable dam that needed to be broken inside the otherwise perfect human being.

After his tears had ceased he finally asked, “But what now? What do I do? I feel like I don’t know anything anymore. I feel so lost and without direction.”

“Oh, don’t worry, you’ve always been lost and without direction, you just acted as if this wasn’t the case. You have spent your whole life rushing and doing, so why not slow down and take your time for once? Not having answers is always the way to answers. See if you can stay with the uncertainty and keep your sight on the step in front of you. I’m sure you’ll know what to do soon enough.”

After finishing those words, the old man got up, smiled at the perfect man, and bade him goodbye. Before vanishing into the now-dark surroundings, he turned around and added, “Sorry if my answers were vague. Life advice was never really my thing.”

The perfect human being kept sitting on the bench for a while thinking about the words of the old man.

A truly perfect human being.

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Luka

Hello friend! My name is Luka and I am the creator of mindfulled. Here you'll find illustrated essays and stories about spiritual awakening and the art of living.