<p>‘Claaaang’… just like two huge cymbals clanging, a loud sound reverberated in the air for sometime when the car hit the mammoth colony gate. Before I could gain back my senses, the security men ran a thorough check on the gate and reported that there was no damage caused to the giant piece of metal. </p>.<p>The poor victim of my error of judgement, was the car with a concavity conducing to a jammed left door. Unable to bear the anguish, I rolled into the garage with only one precondition that the car, if not new, at least must resemble how it was before the accident.</p>.<p>A couple of months later the car finally recovered from its indentures but a scraggy line of chipped-off paint constantly bothered me. </p>.<p>To eliminate this scar, I quietly painted the scratch with some leftover white paint. All was well until the next morning when the entire household came down laughing looking at the newly painted strokes that stood out like decoupage. It did not stop the onlookers who after a small inspection left with an amusing smile. </p>.<p>Everyone makes mistakes… when we understand and learn to embrace the faults openly, life becomes a much easier journey. Imperfections too can be beautiful. It just takes an open mind to understand it.</p>.<p>This is the essence of Kintsugi, a Japanese art where the broken pieces of pottery are mended again using gold. The pieces may have come back together but the crack is always seen and is purposely kept that way to understand and accept the imperfections and flaws. In the words of Ernest Hemingway, “The world breaks everyone and afterwards many are strong at the broken places”. I now see that little jagged white streak as a work of art that adds beauty with its own history and uniqueness.</p>
<p>‘Claaaang’… just like two huge cymbals clanging, a loud sound reverberated in the air for sometime when the car hit the mammoth colony gate. Before I could gain back my senses, the security men ran a thorough check on the gate and reported that there was no damage caused to the giant piece of metal. </p>.<p>The poor victim of my error of judgement, was the car with a concavity conducing to a jammed left door. Unable to bear the anguish, I rolled into the garage with only one precondition that the car, if not new, at least must resemble how it was before the accident.</p>.<p>A couple of months later the car finally recovered from its indentures but a scraggy line of chipped-off paint constantly bothered me. </p>.<p>To eliminate this scar, I quietly painted the scratch with some leftover white paint. All was well until the next morning when the entire household came down laughing looking at the newly painted strokes that stood out like decoupage. It did not stop the onlookers who after a small inspection left with an amusing smile. </p>.<p>Everyone makes mistakes… when we understand and learn to embrace the faults openly, life becomes a much easier journey. Imperfections too can be beautiful. It just takes an open mind to understand it.</p>.<p>This is the essence of Kintsugi, a Japanese art where the broken pieces of pottery are mended again using gold. The pieces may have come back together but the crack is always seen and is purposely kept that way to understand and accept the imperfections and flaws. In the words of Ernest Hemingway, “The world breaks everyone and afterwards many are strong at the broken places”. I now see that little jagged white streak as a work of art that adds beauty with its own history and uniqueness.</p>