KINTSUGI: THE ART OF EMBRACING YOUR SCARS

Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese art form believed to have begun in the 15th century. The word kintsugi means “repaired with gold”. When a piece of pottery would break, rather than discard it, they would clean the pieces and glue them back together. Once they repaired the piece, they would trace the repair lines with gold and apply several coats of lacquer, making the finished piece stronger than the original. This art form is still popular today.

A kintsugi artist accentuates the flaws of a piece rather than hiding them. By doing so, he elevates an ordinary piece of pottery to a stunning work of art. 

Flawless, perfect pottery lacks the character of Kintsugi art. The beauty arises from the damage it endured. 

The artist honors what was broken and repairs it with intentional care. 

Only by first being broken can its true beauty be seen.

People are a lot like pottery. 

Life wears us down, chips away at us, and sometimes, breaks us to pieces. It leaves us scarred and damaged. Most of us try to hide our scars, flaws, or things we’ve been through. But the thing is, when we do, we’re silently telling ourselves that we aren’t good enough the way we are. 

And that’s not true.

When we choose to embrace our flaws and scars, to reveal the things we try to hide away from everyone else, we let others see our true beauty. 

You’re stronger than you believe. Stop hiding your scars. Quit concealing the things you see as flaws. 

Be you. Be real. 

Because scarred or not, flawed or damaged, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.