Broken Vessels

Kintsugi is the ancient Japanese art technique of repairing broken vessels with seams of gold. Rather than discarding the broken vessels, the artisan honours the history of the object and acknowledges the broken state. Instead of disguising the broken lines, the artisan accentuates them by re-joining the shattered pieces together with seams of gold. A highly sought after and prized vessel is created from the broken historical pieces of pottery.

This reminds me of the Grief Journey. When death enters our beautiful world, that intense and overwhelming feeling of loss encompasses our very being, grief hits us, we shatter and break. We are unable to function in the way we were accustomed to prior to our shattered state.

As we journey through Grief those treasured memories of our loved one become our strength. Beyond the grave those we love reach into our very being placing the remembrances of who they were and the love they shared into the shattered areas of our heart. The seams of gold begin to mend our shattered lives. We are never the same. We do not return to from where we came, from the pristine and faultless condition of our unbroken state. We have been dealt the cruel blow of death.

Some in our lives see us a just broken vessels, no longer useful, no longer of value and not worth repairing. While others come along side to journey through the repair process. The true appreciators of the art of Kintsugi – the journey of grief. They too see a broken vessel but in a very different light. They see into the future a vessel that will be of even greater value as it begins the journey of repair with seams of gold. They honour it, they value it as priceless and they treasure it. They see the richness, the wisdom and the worth of the journey. They have full respect and understanding of the vessel and handle it with compassion and care. They focus on the unique and intricate beauty of brokenness mended and displayed in the seams of gold.

You are never the same, you have been put painstakingly back together with that rare and precious metal gold, refined in the fire and placed onto the pieces of your brokenness. This priceless vessel is a joining of who you were, coupled with the grief of loss and the remembrance of a love shared to create who you have become.

Remember, you are precious, you’re a priceless work of art and you are valued. Your scars, those seams of gold represent your journey. Wear them with pride.