Discovering Value in What has been Broken.

 

A concept viewed as Eastern philosophy  and as some Westerners believe.  

 

To begin with, let's take a look at the concept of kintsugi. Kintsugi is an ancient Japanese art that involves the repairing of broken pottery by mending these areas using lacquer mixed with gold. 

At another level, it's a philosophy that treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise.

 

Ultimately, that which is broken is not seen as having less value. In fact, that 'brokenness' is seen as having inherent beauty. a beauty that comes from, not in spite of, what others might see as failings and imperfections.

 

 Many adopt an attitude of once something is broken,then discard and if necessary replace entirely with new. This concept is so  prevalent with some who would pretend that an untoward or disappointing event didn't happen and therefore should move on. 
It could be said this  latter attitude is primarily Western. Westerners tend to see aging and deterioration,failure and weakness as a perspective of worthlessness and "damaged goods." Once old, then discard , nothing worthless can be resolved.

In  the philosophy of Kintsugi,objects are kept around after they have been broken. High value is placed upon such and the "brokenness" is not hidden or stigmatised. Western society hides or discards aged and broken objects as irreparable and no longer valuable.

Kintsugi never hides and espouses an attitude of acceptance of change as a thing of beauty and value.

At a deeper level this Eastern philosophy embraces our faults,failings and even celebrating flaws with acceptance.

In the Bible  and therefore the Christian belief is that All people have erred and are flawed, therefore each individual is inherently broken yet loved equally by a redeeming God who accepts each person as a  child made in His image. The creator God accepts the person whether broken or not as a person of immeasurable worth. Loved and cherished as a wholly unique and valuable person. All are worthy of rescuing and restoring to wholeness.

 

( by Digital Anvil ) 

NB: inspired by the book,Lost and Found by Dr Tim Sharp.