Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Treasured Heart


Kintsugi is the ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery 
with resin sprinkled with real gold powder.  
The Japanese make no attempt to hide the repairs, 
but rather accentuate the breaks with gold 
so they become part of the beauty of the pottery, 
rendering the piece stronger and more valuable after being repaired.


Perhaps the human heart should be considered Kintsugi.  
If we gingerly patch the inevitable breaks with golden tenderness, 
then treasure that beautiful heart 
and honor it as stronger and more precious than ever, 
perhaps then we won't close them off to the world, 
expecting them to be ever unblemished.  
And we can get on with the messy business 
of loving and losing and loving again.


Of course, we don't enjoy the darkest times in our lives, 
the times when we are broken and in pain, 
but if we can remember that the darkness defines the light...
that we can't see the candle's flame in the brilliance of a summer day...
then we will remember that the dark 
is a time of holding on to our hearts,
tenderly patching the broken bits, 
and allowing time to heal.  

May you  treasure and honor your battered heart.
Shelly


16 comments:

  1. You already know my thoughts on this one, Shelly. So very beautiful. xoDonna

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    1. (((hugs!))) Donna! Thanks for being such an encourager for me. It keeps me going! XOXO

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  2. Beautiful analogy, Shelly! I think good, true friends see the gold in the broken parts of our hearts even when all we see is emptiness. It's always easier to see the gold in others than in ourselves. Thank goodness for true friends. Thank you for sharing this marvelous paint and heart-warming words with us. xoxo

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    1. Oh, Sandra, that's so true...and just what I needed to hear today. I'm so glad we've become friends...I see the gold in you, for sure! ♥

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  3. This is wonderFULL Shelly! You will not believe it but I have been working on a painting that goes with THIS VERY SAME saying which I wrote about in a blog post about a year ago. I am not finished with it... but will share it when I am. It is actually a commission requested by a dear collector in Australia. You have done a terrific job depicting it all! Loveyou and your art!

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    1. Wow, Claudia...great minds! I'm in good company. :) I can't wait to see yours, love you and your art too! ♥♥♥

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  4. That's very beautiful and profound, Shelly. It helps explain the picture, which in some ways I had found disturbing, with what looked like such copious bleeding. I appreciate it now as depicting strength through brokenness. I think you are expressing something many of us will have experienced to one degree or another and the explanation was a good idea.
    May God bless you and I pray you are coming through a dark time victoriously. You are obviously a woman of much courage and resourcefulness, I'm sure the best is yet to come.

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    1. Thanks, Jill. I had realized a few people felt that way. I'm glad the explanation makes sense. Thank you so much for your prayers and always having a kind word. The quiet support of all my "sisters" has meant the world to me. You all have been my silver lining! ♥ ♥ ♥

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  5. This is wonderful Shelly, thank you. I love the way you have linked the process and our life experiences. and I LOVE your paintings!! xox

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  6. Beautiful, love the writing that accompanies the painting. the expiation about the broken pottery is great.

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  7. I love the idea of repairing pottery with gold. Our own hearts should be treasured and repaired in a similar manner . Your painting is beautiful and speaks of the tenderness we need to shower on our own hearts. Stunningly lovely and tender painting.

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  8. Nice work! So glad to be participating in Flying Lessons with so many remarkable and talented women!

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  9. Lovely Shelly, I agree with all you say about the heart and your painting echoes
    Your words perfectly.

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  10. Hi Shelly, Shelly Jack here from Flying Lessons :) I love this piece, it's beautiful. Very nice how you tell a story to go with it. Great post. Keep up the amazing work, looking forward to seeing what's next!
    Shelly Jack

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  11. Such a beautiful piece. I love the background info about Kintsugi.

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Hello, Beautiful. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!