Beauty in the Breakdown

I recently found myself trying to describe the concept of Wabi Sabi to a friend.

If you haven't heard about it before, Wabi Sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in the flawed, fleeting, aged and decaying. It's generally an idea used to describe nature, but is also a lifestyle and way of thinking. It's about minimalism, authenticity and contentment. 

It's the belief that there can be beauty in everything. 

We've been conditioned to believe that flaws take away the value of something. 

Like a chipped tea cup. 

Like jeans with a rip in them.

Like the extra weight around our middles or the blemish on our chins.

Or even our awkward personalities.

We throw away the sheets that have a stain or the cookies that didn't turn out "just right".

We try to hide our insecurities under makeup and clothes or behind a screen.

We hold back on expressing our feelings or ideas because we're afraid they won't fit in with the ideal.

Because we've been taught that in order to be beautiful something has to be perfect.

This is a lie.

Flaws give us character. Individuality. They set us apart.

Flaws are experience and experience means you're alive, which in itself is beautiful.

The lines and creases in the old mans face aren't ugly. 

They're the scars of laughter and experience.

The stretch marks and scars on the lady who just had a baby aren't ugly.

They're proof that she created life.

That sweater that you just save for camping because it's worn and stained.

It holds memories because you've lived in it.

It's lovely to live in a house that's always clean and perfect.

It's lovely to always be dressed to perfection and looking flawless.

It's lovely to have the latest phone/car/computer etc.

But it's also lovely to live in a house that's lived in.

With a dirty mug on the counter from last night's coffee and hair on your pants from 

the dog rubbing against your leg. 

It's lovely to wear that pair of jeans that are dirty from painting the bedroom and from sitting

 on the grass at summer festivals.

It's lovely to read the old books because you love the smell and the little notes written 

in the corner from a previous owner.

This is what wabi-sabi is. Finding that beauty in the breakdown.

It's okay to be flawed. It's okay to be undone. It's okay if nothing lasts forever. 

"There's a crack in everything, 

that's how the light gets in".

(Leonard Cohen)

xoxo

Brittany