Just a thought…Beautifully Broken…
I have so many thoughts about being broken…broken things, broken systems, broken trust. In this particular writing, I’ll be focusing on broken stuff that I decided to make into other stuff.
Let’s be honest with each other…knowing myself, I’m sure I’ll veer into other related and captivating (debatable) thoughts about being broken. You’ve been warned. I can’t afford an editor.
Something you might you know about me…it’s always been hard to focus on just one idea, thought or plan. It can be fun and creative and also chaotic and exhausting…some find it endearing…and some don’t. And that’s ok.
As I’ve said before, I’m not everyone’s cup of tea and everyone is not my cup of tea. The tea cup is broken, by the way. So is the world right now. Sigh.
Sorry, getting back on topic…I tend to do a lot at once because when I get excited and motivated to do the things, I want to do all the things. All at once. Yes…I know this does not work. I know this intellectually and experientially.
And also? It exhausts me, physically and emotionally.
When I do all the things when I’m in this type of energy blast, I definitely do get a lot done but in the midst of it I exhaust myself, don’t pay attention to detail. I’m also clumsy and knock into things. Sometimes I hurt myself and have the bruises to prove it.
When I’m being mindful, it reminds me to SLOW THE FUCK DOWN!!This might be a good time to inform or remind you…I curse a LOT. It’s ok if you don’t find my Jersey Girl potty mouth endearing and you need to scroll away or back away slowly into the hedges like Homer Simpson.
Before you go, I feel the need to tell you, cursing a lot is a sign of intelligence. Scientists said so.
Don’t believe me?
Ok, back to me doing things too fast…knocking into things, dropping and breaking stuff. If I’ve broken something and it has no critical use, value or sentimental value, it gets thrown out. And it gets stuffed below the regular trash so no one knows I broke the thing. Evidence destroyed…muah ha ha haaaaaa (evil laugh).
I have routinely broken necessary things like the time I broke the can opener trying to use it as a set of pliers because I was too busy (lazy) to go down to the basement and get an actual set of pliers. This is a true story and happened a couple of months ago. Getting a new can opener is a relatively inexpensive, easy thing to replace and if I buy the SAME EXACT ONE? No one will know…This reminds me I still need to buy a new can opener.
Of course, I’ve broken things I love and I get so mad at myself. And sad I’m this way…
Years ago, I dropped a beautiful ceramic vase I got in Talavera, Spain. If you don’t know about this pottery, here’s a link to see more. https://www.spain.info/en/discover-spain/handmade-pottery-from-talavera/
I couldn’t bear to throw out the broken pieces so I put them in a drawer thinking I’d glue it back together sometime. (Hahahah, we’ve met, right?!) These broken pieces have lived in said drawer for at least 10 years. I’m not sure why I saved them, maybe I knew they could be used in some way or I just couldn’t bear to throw them out.
But what did I think I could use them for? Maybe I could make them into something different, I’ve gotten a little crafty since the COVID lockdown.
I was recently gifted a rock number. (Thank you, Amy!!)mMy dreams of transforming my many found rock treasures into shiny, precious jewels was fulfilled. I’d become an alchemist!! Did you know it takes at least a month, changing the water and grit once a week to achieve the gloss you see on rocks & crystals? I did not. Now you know. You’re welcome.
This is BULLSHIT. I don’t have time for that, I’m very busy and important. And impatient. Was there a way to speed up this process? Sadly, no. But after extensive research (quick google search), I learned that rock tumblers can also be used to transform pieces of broken dishes, tiles etc. into gorgeous new “sea pottery” in just a few days?
See where this is going?
I put some of those broken Talavera pottery pieces into the rock tumbler to see what would happen and they came out sooooooo beautiful!! So then I put some of the other broken ceramic, pottery and tile pieces I had stored away (in the Drawers and Boxes of Shame) into that magic tumbling machine and made more.
Broken pieces were made beautiful. Beautiful in a different way. Still broken but beautiful.
There’s a practice in Japan called Kintsugi, meaning “golden joinery.” Gold is used to “glue” the broken pieces back together. It’s deeply rooted in the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, which finds beauty in flawed, imperfect, or impermanent things. Cool, huh? Even cooler? It’s a metaphor for human life, too…brokenness and repair make an object—or person—more beautiful, valuable, and strong!!!
What am I doing with all of these beautifully broken treasures besides putting them in mason jars and proudly gazing at them? Making stuff, duh! Stuff like jewelry and key chains and wind chimes!! You can see some of them HERE
So even though things get broken, sometimes they can be transformed into something beautiful…beautifully broken. Maybe it’s ourselves, systems or “stuff.” Maybe it’s not about fixing but transforming…Into something beautifully broken.
Just a thought…About being broken…Beautifully broken
