Broken and whole
Living with a disability, wholly...
Wholeness does not mean perfection. It means embracing brokenness as an integral part of life.
PARKER PALMER
The Japanese art of kintsugi repairs broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold or silver. This philosophy views what’s broken as part of the object’s history, rather than something to conceal. (Kintsugi)
No two bowls are alike—whether made of glass, smooth wood, ceramic, or metal. These open vessels so often reflect the artist’s imagination.
Bowls are intriguing. They often draw the attention of even the least observant. They can stir imaginations and calm unsettled spirits.
Bowls capture the eye of the beholder. Looking into the open space, each person sees something different. They are crafted to bring beauty and function.
When we see a broken bowl, it is common to think of it as trash or a collection of pieces for another use.
I was glad to learn about Kintsugi, an art that fills the cracks of broken bowls with precious metals. It teaches a philosophy that views damage as an integral part of an object’s history, not to be rejected or ignored but honored and acknowledged as part of the whole.
What a fantastic way to relate to the world and all its creatures. If broken bowls can be treated with such respect and honor, why can't we honor the imperfection among us in the same way?
Imagine the transformation in our culture and our relationships if we could look at one another to see the whole as a sum of its strong and fragile parts.
There's nothing subtle about this reflection. As a person with a disability, I consider this art form - a gift of perception.
While working with an assistant as I dress, I consider the fine dust of experience and acceptance that has filled the crooked cracks throughout my body. These cracks must be tended to often. By doing so, I continue encouraging my own sense of being whole.
There are plenty of objects/attitudes to meet (should I say run into) each day. Attitudes and physical restraints that remind me - I am neither a round nor a square peg. I fit in few pre-made "Holes”.
But I do know how to adapt! And I know plenty of people like myself who are skilled at adapting in this world, all the while defining and redefining what wholeness can look like.