"Finality is death. Perfection is finality. Nothing is perfect. There are lumps in it"

James Stephens, through his succinct yet profound assertion, explores the interplay between finality, perfection, and the inherent imperfections woven into existence. By equating finality with death, he introduces the notion that to be truly finished, to reach an unalterable end, is synonymous with the cessation of all change and possibility. Death, as the ultimate finality, signals not just the end of life, but the end of motion, growth, and development. When he states that perfection is finality, Stephens suggests that perfection is a static state, one where nothing more can be added or improved. In a world where living things are in perpetual flux, perfection would indicate a cessation of evolution, choice, and spontaneity, qualities that define life itself.

Following this logic, perfection becomes not just unachievable but undesirable, because it implies an end to all dynamism, curiosity, and even error, those very elements that breathe vitality into the human experience. If something were perfect, it would require no further attention, no desire to alter or engage with it. It would be lifeless, frozen in its faultless state.

The assertion "Nothing is perfect. There are lumps in it" becomes both a celebration and an acceptance of the irregularities in life. "Lumps" symbolize flaws, disruptions, or variances in the expected order, reminders that the journey remains unfinished and that existence thrives precisely because of its unpredictability. Rather than seeking a flawless, motionless state, Stephens seems to champion the beauty found in imperfection, the unexpected, and the evolving nature of reality. Life, art, relationships, and all human endeavors retain their poignancy and urgency because they remain incomplete, inviting continual involvement, creativity, and hope. Thus, it is the presence of these "lumps", the evidence of incompleteness, that assures us life endures, full of opportunity and unending transformation.