Shattered But Golden
Kintsugi, or gold splicing, is the Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold. This practice emphasizes the beauty and utility of breaks and imperfections. Practitioners call attention to the lines made by time and rough use; these aren’t a source of shame. Instead, they are a physical manifestation of resilience.[1]
According to art historians, Kintsugi came about accidentally, which is fitting, when the 15th-century Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa broke his favorite tea bowl. Local craftsmen came up with a solution—they filled the crack with a golden lacquer, making the bowl more unique and valuable. This repair elevated the fallen bowl back into its place as the Shogun’s favorite.
As we become older we both accumulate damage, and become aware of our flaws.. Kintsugi can function as a metaphor for embracing these flaws, and even damage which seems to shatter us. Over time, “the philosophy and practice of Kintsugi [has] emerged as a source of comfort. It has been used as a metaphor for rebuilding after tragic events such as loss, sickness, trauma, and the disruptions of daily life.”[1]
Kintsugi makes plain that it takes work and awareness to achieve true healing. Most of us cannot realize our full potential unless we go through tough times. It is the work of repair that turns a problem into a plus. [1]
A core teaching of the Christian faith makes the same point.
We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. 1 Cor. 4;7-9
We are these pots, which even when damaged are neither crushed nor destroyed. The beautifully repaired pot reflects the randomness of the damage, but also the care and precision of the work of restoration. The damage and healing together create something, or someone, irrevocably different, but even more beautiful.
Happy New Year.
Blessings,
Tom
[1] Notes taken from Wikipedia
* Thanks to our extraordinary editors: Karen Cooper & Nicola Aime