Broken

Most of us may not realize that we are all broken. We all have scars. We have open wounds and sore spots. We have calluses. We have areas of our lives that did not heal properly. We have issues, but these are the things that make us beautiful. These are the things that shape and mold us. These are the things that strengthen us. We are all beautifully broken.

There is a method of mending in Japanese culture called “Kintsugi.” It is related to the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, which calls for seeing beauty in the flawed or imperfect. The repair method was also born from the Japanese feeling of mottainai, which expresses regret when something is wasted. Our scars are not wasted. Our wounds are not in vain. Our brokenness has a purpose, and our purpose is beautiful.

Better

Better usually comes after you have endured the worst. You don't really appreciate the sunshine until it rains. Life is full of constant dichotomies of better and worse, good and bad. We can not ignore the ebb and flow of it all. Struggle has a purpose. Pain is a part of the process, and you will be better for it. The goal is to come out better. Anything of value is refined. Gold is purified. Oil is pressed. Pain is one of the tools that produces passion. Stop fighting the process. You're being refined. So, you can be better, not bitter.