Kintsugi, a 400-year-old Japanese tradition
Kintsugi, a 400-year-old Japanese tradition is in its simplest terms, a practice of repairing broken pottery with lacquer, usually in gold. It showcases the flawed or imperfect elements instead of hiding what is perceived as broken. In some ways, it is like wabi-sabi, a Japanese philosophy embracing what is broken. Essentially, this is a “waste-not, want not” philosophy.
What enhances Kintsugi more is that each piece becomes original and unique, much like people. Becoming a care giver can leave us feeling broken, dejected, or even depressed because we can’t apply gold lacquer to renew ourselves. But wait, our flaws make us original and unique, a life well-lived with the challenges. With failure comes wisdom and with that wisdom, we can practice the philosophy of Kintsugi. Not gold lacquer but gratitude and thankfulness for what we have accomplished.
Life Lesson: Ralph Waldo Enerson said, "Old and new make the warp and woof of every moment. There is no thread that is not a twist of tthese two strands." Paul Kurtz voiced his opinion: “I believe that a person should take an affirmative outlook. There are always problems in life, old and new, uncertainties and unexpected contingencies. The optimal way to deal with this is not to give up in despair, but to move ahead using the best intelligence and resources that we have to overcome adversity.”
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By Katrina Rodabaugh