Throughout my 16 years of education, grades were a big huge deal to me.

When I was in the third grade, one day I came home in tears. The conversation with my mom went something like this:

Mom: What’s wrong?

Me: I didn’t ace my math test.

Mom: Relax, it’s okay. What did you get?

Me: 98 percent.

Mom: What? That is an A…

Me: {Wipes tears, in all seriousness} Really? But it’s not a 100 percent? {Confused look}

Mom: Well, it’s still an A. It’s a great score, actually! Way to go.

Me: Ooh… okay then.

Classic Angie moment right there.

Striving for 100 percents didn’t end that day. Maybe it had something to do with my always-seeking-attention, middle-child personality. Or the fact that my mom is a teacher. Or that both my sisters are smartypants.

Had I relaxed a bit about studying and overachieving in school, I would’ve gotten by just fine. But, for whatever reason, I put more pressure than necessary on myself.

And I do that in life all the time. Perfect house, perfect marriage, perfect career. To me, a 98 percent just ain’t good enough.

But life is never perfect. Perfection simply doesn’t exist on this earth.

And that’s okay.

Because someday we’ll live in perfection for an eternity.