Creative Writing

The Art of Brokenness

A porcelain,
once broken,
can never be restored
back to its former glory.

One can try
putting the fragments together,
piece by piece,
but it will cut them in the process.

A once delicate china
now stands disfigured
its faint cracked lines—
a constant reminder.
 
That brokenness 
will always be there,
despite all efforts
to conceal the flaws.

To an outsider,
this piece has lost its value.
No longer is it worthy 
of the price that was paid.

But a skilled potter
can see past the faults.
In his eyes,
it’s a work in progress.

His hands  
hold the power
to make a new creation
out of the broken pieces.

Not to replace the old
Nor hide its imperfections,
but to use it as a testament 
of his artistry and skill.

So he fills the cracks 
with the finest gold lacquer, 
making it more valuable 
than it ever was.

For His power
is magnified, 
and made perfect
in weakness and frailty.

And He who uses that brokenness
to restore the piece
to a more glorious state,
is indeed worthy of all praise.

- Anonymous