Things break. All the time. Mostly we pick up the pieces, sweep up the mess, throw it away and maybe replace the broken item with a new one before too soon.
Sometimes though, the thing that breaks causes us distress. It might be a precious item, an heirloom, a treasured gift, something that connects us to a special moment, a special person.
This naturally, changes everything. If we can, we repair it, preferably in a way that conceals the damage and probably put it away, out of sight and out of harm’s way. Somehow though, how we value that item also changes; even though it is repaired, we tend to look at it as damaged, unusable and less valuable.
But not so in Japan, where the art of ‘Kintsugi’ is practiced. Translated to “repairing with gold”, this is a unique art form where broken pottery is repaired using gold (or silver) lacquer, which in fact highlights, rather than hide its broken-ness. Skilfully applied, the process transforms the broken item into a new art piece, even more beautiful than the original had been. There is no hiding this repaired item either – it is often and usually displayed and used with pride. When something is repaired in this way, we see unique golden seams that tell you exactly where the crack is. But we don’t see cracks; what we see is a beautiful and artful design that is entirely individual and one of a kind.
In this, Kintsugi is also a philosophy that can be applied to our lives. Us humans also can break or crack. Our heart breaks, our body breaks, our courage breaks, our relationships break. Are we damaged or transformed? For we are still who we were before, but we have now also added the experience, the hurt and wisdom of having been broken.
Sure, sometimes we can feel destroyed by such experiences; our world turns upside down, nothing is as it used to be and we may even face hardship. But what if we repaired the damage with gold, rather than simply put the broken pieces away. To recognise and acknowledge our imperfections rather than hide or disguise them. What if kindness and acceptance towards our imperfect self was the gold seam that shone in us? Our uniqueness and individuality that make us a priceless treasure.
We may not be able to fix a broken heart or a broken relationship, to make it un-broken again, in the same way we cannot un-break something. The Japanese artists are renowned for their enormous care in applying the gold lacquer to broken items; they proudly and deliberately work to repair it and transform it into a beautiful new piece that will not only have pride of place but also be useful once again. Can we perhaps apply the same level of care to ourselves when we feel broken? Instead of feeling crashed, hopeless and useless, can we find the gold seam within us that is there all along, and allow it to shine? To celebrate it even. Why should we be afraid or ashamed to let others see our brokenness? And importantly, do we turn away from the brokenness of others or do we accept their imperfections as their golden seam? It may not be easy, but it’s definitely worth trying.
As the famous and much-loved song says ‘there is a crack in everything … that’s how the light gets in’
I wish you a mine of golden seams to repair and transform all that is broken in your life
(Quote from song above is “Anthem” by Leonard Cohen)
Living in bliss 