Kintsugi

I never go back on my words, hence why I started this draft exactly 2 and a half months ago just in time to get it to you before Christmas. In the last blog post, we discussed our plans for the winter arc and I'm curious to see how that has been going so far. Save for the part where I cut back on the consumption of the media and a total disconnection from technology, I have put almost everything I shared into practice. How are the Christmas preparations going? If you still can't tell, the Christmas holiday/season is my favorite time of the year, one I truly love. So like the true Christmas enthusiast, I put up my tree in the last week of November, hung up my ornaments in the first week of December, and had almost all my Christmas shopping done by the end of the first week of December. Again in true fashion, I am about ready for Christmas and the many festivities that come with it. But before the year rolls to an end, I want to share the single most powerful message I learned from 2024 and I will draw inferences from 'KINTSUGI'.

Kintsugi (Japanese: 金継ぎ) is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with 'urushi' lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. For the Japanese, kintsugi is part of a philosophy of embracing our human flaws and life's fragility. It is about celebrating imperfections as a new approach to life. The result is a piece that celebrates its flaws rather than hiding them, transforming damage into beauty. Instead of discarding broken pottery, kintsugi practitioners honor the object's history by highlighting its cracks and breaks. This approach not only restores the item but also enhances its value, creating a unique piece that tells a story. This ancient art form teaches us profound lessons about resilience, acceptance, and the value of imperfection. Simply finding beauty in imperfection, transience, and simplicity. Imagine applying this philosophy to our lives. What if, instead of hiding our scars (emotional or physical), we embraced them as part of our journey? Kintsugi teaches us that our imperfections make us who we are and that there is beauty in our resilience. As the year comes to an end, chances are that you feel unprepared in some way for the new year. Goals haven't yet been met, prayers have not neared getting answered, money is tight, or you failed countless times getting something you wanted. Kintdugi calls us to reflect soberly on these many imperfections, dust ourselves up, and repair things with what little resources we can muster. Relating to Christmas, we may find that we are unprepared for the season. It's the most wonderful time of the year, but sometimes the to-do list feels endless, the preparation seems daunting, and the holidays can have a way of reminding us of our deepest disappointments. Are we taking that much-needed step back to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas? Beyond that, can we sit in the solace of knowing that God is prepared and always has been? But what if we chose to pause the busyness of the season and start discovering a deeper joy that slows us down to embrace a pace of wonder? It may not be easy. but your past experiences don't have to dictate your future expectations. 

In a world that often chases perfection, the meaning of kintsugi is powerful and it offers a breath of fresh air. While you may not have broken pottery lying around to mend, the principles of kintsugi can be woven into your daily life. You can start off by being kind to yourself acknowledging your flaws and mistakes made this year without judgment. Instead of focusing on what’s broken, celebrate how you’ve grown from your experiences and recognize how they contribute to your unique beauty. And finally think of ways to improve in the coming year: If something in your life feels broken, think about how you can mend it creatively and meaningfully. In embracing kintsugi as a lifestyle, opportunities are born for growth in different life's challenges and setbacks: failure becomes a stepping stone, heartbreak becomes a lesson in love and resilience, and delay gives us time to restrategize and try again. Every experience you have in 2024, no matter how painful, has the potential to add value and meaning to your life. When you embrace this mindset, you don’t just repair what’s broken you create something profoundly beautiful. As I sit with my own broken pieces from 2024, I’ve started to think of them as opportunities for golden seams. The friendships I’ve mended after misunderstandings, the career change that came after setbacks, and the self-compassion I’ve found in moments of failure, these are my kintsugi moments. They’ve made me stronger, more authentic, and more grateful for the journey. I have learned that there is no shame in being broken. Instead, there is honor in repair, and in the courage to piece myself back together and showcase the beauty of my survival. As the year ends, remember that the next time life leaves you feeling cracked and fragile, all you have to do is gather your pieces, take your time, and fill your seams with gold. What emerges will be something unique, something stronger, and something undeniably beautiful.

Finally, something I read this week was so profound I can't help but share "Sometimes our miracles arrive just like Jesus did. No big crowds or gold dust, just a small thrill of hope. Don't miss it because you were expecting something fanciful". In our mending phase, expect a miracle but don't look too hard for the glitter, and forget the small miracles that might look inconsequential but definitely add up. I am so excited about what 2025 holds for us. 

I want to promise a new post before or by the new year but I would rather write something new out out of spontaneity. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

You are Gold

Helen Damilola 💖