Sweet Deals

Salt of the Earth

Credit: pompi / Pixabay.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Discretion is the salt, and Fancy the sugar of life; one preserves it and the other sweetens it.

~John Christian Bovee~

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Swara let her hands stay in his and her mind swirled while she attempted to process his words. His kiss, however quick it had been, had left her in a gentle haze and then his confession had left her breathless. Somewhere, deep within herself she had hoped of this but hearing him voice what she had not dared to dream about, left her at a loss for words. With the familiar emotions of guilt and shame surging within her, a very anguished Swara said, "No Sanskaar, what you want is impossible, you know what has happened to me and how responsible I am for the state of things. What I have done is unforgivable, I am too broken to be whole again and you do not deserve someone like me. You deserve so much more...."

He tightened his hold on her hands and firmly said, "Listen to me Swara, for once, just listen to me without interruption. I agree that you acted foolishly when you decided to run away and yes, it was irresponsible of you when you did not return home that night itself. I also agree that you have caused immense pain to your family by being away all these years. What I refuse to accept is your view that your actions are unforgivable. Everything is forgivable; Swara, time and distance do heal wounds and mend differences. You are convinced your family will never forgive you but have you even given them a chance? You say you have forgiven all of them and harbor no grudges; yet you have just concluded that they would not forgive you and hence buried yourself here. There is nothing in this world which is irrevocably wrong. It is said that even a broken clock is right twice a day; and sometimes, even broken things are beautiful. Just because you have faced adversity or made a wrong choice or a mistake in judging people does not render you ineligible for a chance at happiness."

He released her hands, placed his hand under her chin and lifted her face, forcing her to look at him. Swara still had a troubled look in her eyes, not completely convinced about what he was saying and yet also unable to dispute the veracity of his words. Sanskaar smiled, "You considered yourself broken, right? Let me tell you something. Did you know that some Japanese do not throw a dish or a coffee mug or something that is broken into the trash? They believe that one must understand the spiritual background or the history behind the material. This is interwoven with their philosophy of wabi-sabi, which means to find beauty in broken or odd things, an acceptance of transience and imperfection."

Sanskaar paused; sure that he had Swara's full attention. She was still a child in some ways, stories enthralled her. Letting her go, he leant back against the wall and gently continued, "In Japan, instead of tossing these pieces in the trash, some craftsmen practice the 500-year-old art of kintsugi, or "golden joinery," which is a method of restoring a broken piece with a lacquer that is usually mixed with gold, though sometimes silver or platinum is used. The kintsugi method conveys a philosophy, not of replacement, but of awe, reverence, and restoration. The gold-filled cracks of a once-broken item are a testament to its history. The importance in kintsugi is not the physical appearance; it is the beauty and the importance of the now joined dish that stays in the eyes of the one who is looking at the same. It is a beautiful way of living, especially if you fix that dish yourself."

As Swara looked on at him, unable to speak a word, he stepped closer, gently cupping her face in his hands, said, "And you, Swara, are beautiful, not despite what you perceive as broken and shattered but because of them. You are beautiful because you have emerged stronger and it is from these cracks that your inner strength shines through. You are not a failure but rather an example of how one can fight adversity and overcome the hurdles in life to emerge victorious. You are......please, now what have I said?" ended Sanskaar, worry creasing his face, for Swara appeared to burst into a fresh bout of tears.