There is a Japanese art form called kintsugi, perhaps dating back to the 15th century, generally used for porcelain pottery. When an object or vessel like a vase cracks, the pieces are glued back together with a mixture of resin or lacquer and gold dust. Instead of making the cracks invisible, or covering them up, they make them beautiful. Mistakes and cracks are not considered ugly. Instead, they are recognized as a part of the history of the object.
The philosophy behind kintsugi is that the break itself is something to remember, something of value, something to be celebrated. Kintsugi provides a way to commemorate and preserve the object’s history, including its beauty and its flaws, and make the object more beautiful rather than disguise it. As an additional benefit, the repaired vessel is stronger than it was before the crack.
As one writer explained, “Not only is there no attempt to hide the damage, but the repair is literally illuminated... a kind of physical expression of the spirit of mushin....Mushin is often literally translated as "no mind," but carries connotations of fully existing within the moment, of non-attachment, of equanimity amid changing conditions...The vicissitudes of existence over time, to which all humans are susceptible, could not be clearer than in the breaks, the knocks, and the shattering to which ceramic ware is subject. (Christy Bartlett, Flickwerk: The Aesthetics of Mended Japanese Ceramics)
One of the many lessons of kintsugi which feels especially relevant to those of us with spinal cord injuries is that breaks, injuries and difficulties are a natural part of life. No one escapes unscathed. We must learn to acknowledge them and accept the changes. Life does not give us the opportunity to change our past, only our present and future. But acknowledging that our injuries are a part of us, we can celebrate all the aspects of our bodies and spirits, and become stronger and more beautiful.