What is reality? 
That upon which you are focused and take as your current experience in
any given moment.  You say that
perception is reality, and this is true, but do not fall into the trap of
believing that what you perceive is the only reality.  Change the way you perceive reality and your
reality changes.  This is true mentally,
as you may know.  If you change your
thoughts to more beneficial ones, then your reality becomes more enjoyable, and
the opposite is true as well.  If you put
on a pair of 3 dimensional glasses, your physical reality changes, and so
on.  Do you see?  Reality is changeable.  Do not become so fixed, so set in your ways,
that you block out possible learning opportunities and alternative experiences
with which to experiment.  That is why you
are here:  for the joy of experimenting
and the growth that results from it.