The Cracked Teacup
As the group continued their journey, they came across an elderly potter in a small hut, nestled between the trees. The potter was carefully mending a teacup with golden lacquer, his hands steady despite his age.
Kai watched with curiosity. “Why are you fixing it with gold? Wouldn’t it be better to make a new one?”
The potter smiled. “This is called Kintsugi. Instead of throwing broken things away, we repair them in a way that makes them even more beautiful. The cracks tell a story of the life this cup has lived.”
Kai examined the cup closely. The golden lines shimmered, making the once-broken object look even more special. “So, it’s kind of like Wabi-Sabi?”
The potter nodded. “Exactly. We embrace the imperfections and changes, rather than hiding them.”
Kai thought about the cracked pinecone in her pocket and the old shrine they had visited. “I think I understand. Just like people, things don’t have to be perfect to be valuable.”
The potter handed her a small, golden-repaired cup. “Then take this as a reminder. May you always see the beauty in what is imperfect.”
Kai held the cup carefully, feeling the warmth of its history. As they left, she looked at her friends and smiled. They, too, carried their own marks, their own stories. And in each imperfection, she saw something beautiful.
The journey through Wabi-Sabi had changed her. She no longer looked for perfection, she looked for the story in everything around her.
And that made all the difference.
Leave a Reply