The Japanese term Wabi-Sabi speaks of things modest, humble, and unconventional; it is more present-oriented than future-oriented. According to Leonard Koren, author of the book Wabi-Sabi: for Artists, Designers, Poets, and Philosophers - “Wabi-sabi is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent and incomplete. It is about the delicate balance between the pleasure we get from things and the pleasure we get from the freedom of things. Things wabi-sabi are warm, never cold."
Tadao Ando says Wabi Sabi is “accepting the natural cycle of growth, decay, and death. It's simple, slow, and uncluttered it reveres authenticity above all. Wabi-sabi is flea markets, not warehouse stores; aged wood, not Pergo; paper, not glass. It celebrates cracks and crevices and all the other marks that time, weather, and loving use leave behind. It reminds us that we are all but transient beings on this planet - that our bodies as well as the material world around us are in the process of returning to the dust from which we came. Through wabi-sabi, we learn to embrace liver spots, rust, and frayed edges, and the march of time they represent.”
Can we embrace the imperfection that will inevitably be uncovered this holiday season?
At the core of this is simplicity. Voluntary simplicity, that is. People who decide to follow this are not looking for self-inflicted deprivation; on the contrary, they are looking for an unencumbered life, rich and full of things that are important to them, one in which you have determined what is important, or "enough" for you, discarding the rest.
Now...your life, your version, your plan...
What might a wabi-sabi holiday look like for you?
Didn't bake it. That's okay.
Didn't buy it. That's okay.
Burnt it. That's okay.
Didn't wrap it. That's okay.
Everyone isn't happy every minute. That's okay.
Didn't attend every gathering. That's okay.
Didn't buy a new outfit. That's okay.
The kitchen is a mess. That's okay.
My loved one isn't here. I'm sad. It's okay to feel it.
Fill in the blank___________. That's okay.
The holidays are not joy-filled for everyone, if you have a little left-over cheer in your bucket, consider spreading it around.
If you need a little lift, reach out, I have extra and I'm here for you.
Happy Wabi-Sabi'ing, with Joy! Steph
This video is from a season past, but every word rings (and sings) true! Enjoy, enjoy!
