Okay, you’re probably wondering what in the world this title means. Other than looking like gibberish, it is actually a really meaningful word.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold or silver lacquer. The understanding of this practice is that the piece is even more beautiful for having been broken. To bring together the pieces of a broken pottery item and at the same time enhance the breaks. This technique consists of joining the broken fragments together and creating a completely new piece. The “scars” of the piece become what to exhibit. The beauty of this practice is that each piece is different. Much like the scars that we each carry.

The Japanese practice of Kintsugi suggests many things. Just because something is broken does not mean that it should be thrown away. The brokenness can become something very valuable. We should take time in trying to repair things because in time it could create something beautiful. This art form actively pursues the quality of resilience. Each person who has gone through a traumatic experience should look for ways to cope instead of just throwing their lives away. Take the best from these negative experiences and turn them into something useful. Our broken pieces are in fact what make us beautiful and unique.