My favorite book of all time is Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
I fell in love with it in college & the concepts Robert F. Pirsig explores have continued to shape the way I think today. In the book, a man revisits his past intellectual reasoning around the idea of quality while on a motorcycle journey with his son.
Quality can’t be defined. But you do know it when you see it, so it must exist.
I know what a quality breakfast is for me.
I know when I walk away from a quality interaction with a friend.
I know when I’ve done the dishes with quality & when I haven’t.
It’s about slowing down.
Noticing & enjoying the journey.
Choosing to do things well with intention.
As I’ve been re-reading Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance in such a different stage of life from when I first read it, I continue to be challenged by the idea of quality.
Last night I noticed after dinner that my 2 year old had managed to smear bright red strawberries (her favorite!) all over my once cream colored sweater.
Is quality the joy of being in the moment with my daughter & truly not caring about the inevitable stain?
Is quality carefully treating my clothes so that they last & I can reduce my consumption?
I don’t know!
But I do know that I will continue to seek quality in my life.
Quality interactions with my family.
Quality over quantity.
Quality manufacturing practices that honor the makers.
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What does quality look like to you?