"There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in" -- Leonard Cohen, "Anthem"
A powerful quote, isn’t it?
Ever since the first time I came across it, it stuck to my mind. When life’s hammer all but shattered me, this quote smoothened the edges of the cracks in my soul. Because through them, a new light, a new hope could get in.
It’s about the imperfections and flaws in everything, including ourselves and the world around us. But in all this brokenness, the light shines hope and healing.
As a title, it says exactly what I’d like to accomplish with this blog: embrace the perfect imperfections and turn them into a source of light, warmth, and love. I’m learning to live with my cracks, and I hope you can too. In Japan, there’s an art form called Kintsugi, the practice of repairing broken pottery with lacquer mixed with gold or silver. It highlights the beauty of the cracks rather than hiding them. So let’s think of all our cracks as golden ornaments which only add to the beauty of each person.
I was fortunate (and old) enough to hear those words straight from the mouth of the poet. At his concerts, Leonard Cohen liked to preface the song “Anthem” by reciting them.
Sadly, he’s not with us any longer. But his words and his music live on. To end this first post, here's a video of Cohen reciting and singing the “Anthem”.