In Japan, there is a traditional repair method known as kintsugi, where broken pieces of pottery are stuck back together with a Japanese lacquer (urushi), the joints are painted and decorated with gold or silver powder, and the pottery continues to be used.

Kintsugi is a beautiful metaphor for healing, where the ‘healed outcome’ is more magnificent than the original ceramic.

Having navigated the loss of my wife to brain cancer less than 3 years ago, Kintsugi resonates deeply for me in the experience of loss and grief. When Fiona died, my life shattered like a vase and I had no idea how I was going to piece it back together again. It took over a year before I had the energy to even clean up the pieces off the floor, and begin putting the puzzle back together.

In the last six months, I feel as if I have found the silver or gold in the lacquer, and elements of my life have begun to thrive again, though occasionally I drop the vase and have to start again…

With love,

Christopher