Mental Health
Finding Beauty In Being Broken
Sometimes we are more beautiful because of our cracks.
Kintsugi is the Japanese art of putting broken bowls, cups, plates, and other pottery back together with gold. Restoration of broken pottery or ceramics can take months because Kintsugi artisans understand broken things can be more beautiful. Kintsugi is more than an art form, it’s also a philosophy that reminds us to celebrate and embrace our imperfections.
Survivors of trauma are often told we are broken, sometimes beyond repair. We are blamed for our own brokenness as if we deserved what happened to us at the hands of others. And we believe this because our brains work differently because it is easy to convince us to hate ourselves.
But survivors of trauma can be put back together, and we can be more beautiful than before. We cannot do it alone, any more than a broken bowl can repair itself. We need our own artisans, we need therapists who specialize in treating survivors of rape, violence, and abuse. We need support from friends and family. Most importantly, we need to celebrate our beauty, resilience, and courage.
Restoring a broken bowl with gold takes expertise, patience, and time. The end result, however, is a piece of art. Restoring a broken person takes expertise, patience, and time. The end result is the same: A piece of art.
Survivors are living, breathing embodiments of Kintsugi philosophy. We are more beautiful because we have been broken. We reclaim our power, we embrace our cracks and fissure, and we are put back together with gold.
