Kintsugi is a pottery style that mends things that are broken and creates art out of healing. It is an act of celebrating something put back together after being shattered. I think that represents people and all their crazy problems, passionate dreams and often very poor word choices perfectly.
We are all broken in some way or another, with cracks and tears. Sometimes we try and hide those rips; sew them up and store them away from the rest of the world. Some of us define ourselves by what we think is wrong with us. We can't let that happen. I know people who will probably carry the mistakes of their past for the rest of their lives, committing them again and again, resigned to blaming the world for their problems.
This is one of the most important things to remember when we try to get close to others: nobody gets through life unscathed. Should we gloss over and ignore these issues? Can we pretend that they're not there? Is it healthy to avoid the issue? Do we shove our pasts behind us, hiding it away from the rest of the world?
Some people will. But I think the right choice, and the healthy one, is trying to overcome those scars. Friendships and relationships aren't built on being perfect, they're built on being there for each other. People are bound to rub each other the wrong way at points, but can you really say you're close to someone if you shrug off and ignore the most painful parts of them?
When we get closer to others, the facade begins to fade. We see the chipped edges and cracks. All these things make up part of that person, and loving them in spite of it gives them a chance to heal. That is what kintsugi represents- something made whole through repair, something given a chance to shine even greater than it might have before.
Everyone has something they carry with them: a past relationship, insecurities, disabilities. There are no perfect people in this world. And I think that's okay. There's a phrase that's used, and that phrase is something along the lines of everyone being a snowflake, unique in their own way. But what makes a snowflake unique? It's pattern. Snowflakes are worn, they are made of infinitely small patterns of tears and holes, and when we look at that design, carved out of countless microscopic fractures, we marvel.
Do not abandon someone for their flaws, but don't let someone walk all over you with their problems as an excuse. We have a chance to celebrate our strength, but we must try. We've always got to try. Heal through love and friendship, and offer your comfort to others, because no one makes it out of this life without pain.
