“Pied Beauty” by Gerard Manley Hopkins praises everything multi-colored, dappled,  and couple-colored. Today I found a gold finch which had struck a window. Its beautiful, mottled body was so delicate. It was a male with a winter coat. I thought of how Hopkins’ poem does not glorify perfection, but rather embraces the imperfect in nature. In fact nature’s beauty lies in those exquisite “finches wings.” I carefully wrapped the small gold finch, said a prayer over it and buried it. Imperfection is difficult to accept in ourselves. We long for the perfect mind and body, the job that fits our skills, the well-behaved children, the beautiful smile, well-groomed pets, and lots…