Chance and I were walking along the beach and talking when I stopped to pick up a couple shells. He shared a conversation with me that he had with his Aunt Linda. He and his aunt had been sitting along the beach when she wanted to share with him the shells she had collected. She held out her treasures and Chance noticed that the majority of the shells were imperfect. He commented to his Aunt Linda that most of the shells she had collected were broken. She replied to him, “Yes, they are broken, but you can still see the beauty in them”.
Like those shells, every one of us is broken…..but you can still see the beauty within! We are all beautifully broken…..
It isn’t a secret, that along with happiness, life brings challenges, difficult times, and, often, heartaches. Any of these experiences can leave us scarred or even broken. But, with each scar comes a story, a lesson learned, a strength we didn’t know we had, a triumph over adversity.
The lyrics from the song “Beautifully Broken” depict how we are all broken, but yet, we are a work in progress for God.
You’re beautifully broken / Made to be whole again / Even a million scars / Doesn’t change whose you are / God’s still working / You’re beautifully broken
There is a practice in Japan known as kintsugi. This practice uses a special lacquer mixed with gold to fix a broken object, thus, highlighting the breaks and imperfections. It is a way of repairing that celebrates the breakage or scars as part of the object’s history. It is a belief in the beauty of imperfections. It is about being beautifully broken…..not hiding the scars but letting them add to the story.
A week ago, I was sitting in my mother in law’s bedroom when her hospice nurse, Mike, arrived. She enjoys his visits and lit up as he walked in the room. After he had completed the review of her chart, her exam, and conferred with her caregiver, it was time for my mother in law’s favorite part of his visits. He sat down beside her bed; held her hand and they began chatting. She shared a lot with Nurse Mike that day…..she had been reflecting on her life and shared some of her scars and brokenness. After a while, she apologized for keeping him so long. His response to her was beautiful and perfect…..”I am not in a hurry. Everyone has a story to tell and everyone has a song to sing. I am happy to listen to your story”.
All of us have a story to tell…..we all have scars…..we are all broken…..but there is still beauty in each of us.
None of us have traveled the same path or had the same experiences. We have different scars and brokenness, but perhaps the sharing of your story is just what someone else is needing.
How did you overcome or work through your grief…..addiction…..abuse…..divorce…..infertility…..illness…..
Did you ever consider your scars and brokenness are a part of your purpose? That your purpose is to share your story? That your scars and brokenness will assist someone else through a difficult time? That you were placed just where you are – with your story – for the benefit of someone else? How about the possibility that God is using you and your story to help another?
How wonderful and fulfilling it is to put our scars and brokenness to good use. Share with someone who is struggling how you, your faith and your God overcame a difficult time.
We are all beautifully broken with a story to tell…..let’s share our stories with the hope of aiding someone else.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works Psalm 139:14
And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
Epilogue: As I have previously shared, I often feel these writings are “given to me”. This sequence is just too good not to share –
Chance and I had our conversation and Aunt Linda’s words continued to cycle through my mind.
Within days, I was in my car and heard “Beautifully Broken” performed.
The next week, Jimmy and I visited Southport and I saw a piece of pottery that had been repaired using the kintsugi method.
The following day, I was in Pilates and Kelly Clarkson is belting out “I’m broken and it’s beautiful”.
By this point, I am telling God, “I got it (lol)……now just show me how to use it”
We visited my mother in law on the weekend. Nurse Mike’s words made the message I was to deliver clear…..and here we are.
As I was walking and “writing in my mind”, I saw the shell in the photo. I knew that was the photo I needed – the shell is broken but it is still whole – it is beautifully broken!
