DeborahBurkeHenderson.com

JULY 2025 – EMBRACING OUR FLAWS

Take a few moments to scan your body. Upon breathing in, create a spaciousness, an openness with nonjudgemental awareness. When exhaling, allow each breath to release any tension or anxiety, to soften and soothe such that your shoulders sink down and roll back a bit. Take in the fullness of your being in an accepting manner, no matter what you find.

Do you at times feel flawed or broken? What if you shifted your perception to find the beauty therein?

You may be familiar with the beautiful Japanese art form called kintsugi which is passed on from generation to generation. This ancient craft of mending broken pottery with gold or silver lacquer is called golden joinery. When a teacup breaks or vase cracks, the artist—through kintsugi—embraces the brokenness. The pieces are meticulously put back together, highlighting the cracks instead of hiding them. When finished, brilliant golden and silver tendrils hold the pottery together resulting in a unique piece which can never be replicated.

The art of kintsugi can teach us to appreciate and embrace our flaws.

When I was young, people criticized me for being super sensitive; however, as I matured, I realized the beauty of being a truly sensitive soul and recognized that I would not want to be any other way. That perceptive, insightful, vulnerable side of me is endearing and strong and has always helped me connect with others authentically.

Rather than trying to cover up what you’ve been criticized for or what you think is a flaw, look deeper and with a new perspective. Try approaching your brokenness with a sense of reverence, mending pieces of yourself with delicate tenderness, forgiveness, and patience. Accept yourself fully—the scrapes, bumps, warts, and cracks—for they have helped inform your being. Chances are those flaws have made you a stronger, more resilient person.

Honoring our flaws and those of others is one path to our common humanity. May we be humble while still deeply sharing and actively listening.

As American philosopher and psychologist William James said, “We are like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep.”

Look for the connection that brings you closer to another person—whether family, friend, colleague, or stranger. By doing so, you’ll help contribute to the healing needed in our world.

Blessings to you and yours,

Deborah

    ________________________

“The softest things in the world overcome

the hardest things in the world.”

—Lao Tzu

My morning mantra:

"I arise this morning with a smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. 

I vow to live fully in each moment and to greet every being I meet with compassion."

        ~ Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Buddhist monk, peace activist 

                                                                                    [1926 - 2022]