“Your cracks can become the most beautiful part of you.” — Candice Kumai

With the world changing rapidly and so many people feeling fearful about the future it’s a good time to think about how our creativity has got us through previous bad times and how much stronger we are as a result.

Nothing illustrates this so dramatically as Kintsugi, the 15th-Century practice of repairing things that are broken with no attempt to hide the damage. Kintsugi, means “to join with gold”: the wounds are literally illuminated, enhancing the original.

Imagine how it would feel to embrace the inevitable imperfections in our lives, whether in appearance, character or actions, and welcome the process that leads us to find opportunities not just to repair but to enhance and improve the whole.

Imagine if that process helps us to recognise and respect the inherent value in other people and appreciate the potential that we all carry.

The idea that the process of repairing adds value tells us we can always begin anew… not perfect but different and with more to offer each other than before.

Imagine if art is the the thing that strengthens us, repairs us and illuminates where we’ve been damaged, so that we’re able to make the world a better place for all of us.

If we want to change the story of the human race, we have to change the stories we tell ourselves.

This is part of a series of posts on Questions about Creativity. The rest of the series can be seen at: https://annhawkins.com/creativity