I was recently reminded of the concept of Kintsugi: the Japanese process of repairing broken pottery using lacquer dusted with powdered gold. Instead of hiding the cracks, they’re highlighted. Instead of returning to what it was before, it becomes something new.
Something more…intentional.
This repair technique stuck with me; not just the beauty of it, but the meaning behind it. Something that’s broken doesn’t have to be discarded, disguised, or hidden…It can be repaired in a way that shows the scars and flaws. Highlights them, even.
How often do we try to cover up the parts of ourselves that feel cracked or worn down? All of the ways that we’ve learned to move through life in survival mode, not knowing how to soften the hardened parts of ourselves.
I’ve noticed a shift. Nothing dramatic or complete. Small changes, happening over time.
Replacing the lighting in my space with tones and colors that are softer, calmer, and more relaxing. Sprinkling more Shenise into my room. Giving myself permission to enjoy simple things again: colors, soft textures, peace.
Does this fix everything? I wish, but no. All the same, it IS starting to feel like I am doing some mending.
It feels like I am learning how to take the pieces of myself that have been through some things and care for them in a way I wish they had been cared for from the beginning. I’m not trying to go back to who I was before; I am becoming something new in the process.
My own form of Kintsugi.
Reminding myself often that I am not broken…
I am becoming.
Not Broken...Becoming 
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