UUFSMA: “The Blessings of Imperfection”

The Reverend Tom Rosiello will invite participants in this Sunday’s UUFSMA online service to examine the drive toward perfection that holds most individuals and institutions to high standards — a drive that has been especially true during this era of COVID isolation and Zoom-based relationships.

Of course, the motivation to get everything exactly right is not a bad thing. But when we fall short and do not get something quite right, we often become aggravated, angry, and disappointed. Such feelings can block us from moving ahead, enjoying life, and recognizing that our imperfections can bring insights and even blessings.

Unlike the “invisible mending” or “discard mentality” of Western culture, the Japanese practice of kintsugi mends cracks in a broken bowl with a lacquer of gold. This method of “golden joinery” treats breaks and repairs as part of the history of a pot that ought to shine and be admired for adding value to an object. So too this method of “shining repairs” can inform our feelings and personal outlook.

Adopting kintsugi as a metaphor for living with imperfection, Reverend Rosiello observes, “Our cracks make us more valuable. When we let go of a preoccupation with perfection or what we think is perfect, we see things differently, grow spiritually, live happier lives, and discover new gifts to offer to the world.”  He adds, “In the words of Spike Milligan, ‘Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light’.”