“When the Japanese mend broken objects, they aggrandize the damage by filling the cracks with gold. They believe that when something’s suffered damage and has a history it becomes more beautiful.” 

The truth and depth in these words, handed by my tutor in notes I’d missed at class last month, made me reflect on a few people that have touched my life and opened my heart recently.
Last month, during time spent at the Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, India, I spent some time with a young girl named Jayshree. During an introductory circle of sharing on where happiness comes from, she spoke of how giving away her possessions made her feel happy.She went on to share that on her last birthday whem she turned 14, she made a commitment to give away anything that another person asked for or admired of her belongings. This touched me deeply, especially knowing that she came from an underprivileged background. The following day we had a chance to spend some time together alone and I was able to learn about the extreme circumstances her mother had faced to provide for her and her siblings. She explained that although she finds it hard to let go of something that’s dear to her, and she has very little, at the same time she realizes she receives far more joy from giving away that object than she would do by holding on to it.

There was another young girl I met at Seva Cafe, who happened to be there celebrating her 20th birthday party with family and friends. Kalgi, was born with a severe vision impairment which messnt she only had 10 % vision. A year ago, she lost that vision too, leaving her to be totally blind. She shared from her heart how grateful she was to have had that 10% vision for 19 years of her life that had enabled her to see the world with her own eyes. She was more grateful for having developed her 6th sense of insight, as well as now a 7th sense of feeling subtle enerhy fields where she can sense and recognise people before they approach or speak.

My thoughts have also been with Peter, a homeless man in London whom I got to know and get fond of. Peter died a week ago, 6 months after being diagnosed with lung cancer. As a result of receiving treatment he had to give up drinking alcohol, something he said he missed dearly. Quite often, over a cup of tea, he would share lovely memories of time spent with his wife, who had died 2 years ago. Despite the pain he was feeling both at a physical and emotional level, his smile never left his face. Every day lived, he would say, was a gift to behold beauty, and a reminder that very soon he would be reunited with his wife.
I wonder about these beautiful souls and many others, whose lives have suffered damage, yet they shine so bright. On this journey called life, suffering damage is inevitable. However, finding the courage and will to face and fill the cracks with gold is where the beauty shines forth.