Wabi-sabi

I believe in wabi-sabi. If you don’t already know, this is the latest craze from Asia that is sweeping the nation, and if origami and feng shui are any indication, this could really become big. But since wabi-sabi consists of neither paper folding nor furniture arranging, it does not strike the same core audience of sufferers of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and the bored. Rather, its aim is to please the philosophical, with whom it truly resonates. wabi-sabi is the concept that beauty can be found in what we perceive as imperfect, perhaps more often than where we consider perfection to lie.

To understand the meaning of this pair of words, one must first look at each individually. By their Japanese definitions, wabi means harmony, tranquility and peace, while sabi is the flow of time. Literally, it is the beautiful effect that time has on the world. wabi-sabi is a concept of appreciating what isn’t ideal in life, focusing not on what is pristine and manufactured, but rather on what is earthen and exemplary of natural beauty. wabi-sabi embraces the stained, the frayed; the signs of life, rather than that which is unmarked, unused, and, frankly, therefore unloved. This is already somewhat apparent in our society, as we are currently apt to purchase clothing that has the appearance of wear, when in fact, the jeans may have merely met a pair of scissors, or the hat, a cleansing wash amid stones. Wearing these items may be to impress, as they look as if they have survived a journey through mountainous wilderness, when they’re really just the result of a leisurely drive to the Gap.

Let’s apply wabi-sabi to an unloved aspect of getting older in this society, one that seems to be just as cringe-worthy as aging itself: wrinkles. It’s fair to say that most people that have them want to get rid of them, and they will try any new drug or procedure to smooth their face to a degree that defies physiology. When you realize where how these unwanted “blemishes” form, however, it gets you to think: why would you not want to show the world that you’ve laughed? Why would you hide that you’ve smiled, that you’ve squinted to see the world, or that you’ve shown concern for those that you care about? If Botox induced memory-loss, you wouldn’t trade the experiences that have defined your life for what you think is a superficial enhancement, would you?

The concepts communicated by wabi-sabi go hand in hand with other ways that we can view life, by which we can increase our appreciation of the world around us. Often we hear that people view their existence as a glass that is either half-full or half-empty, denoting whether they approach the world with an optimistic or pessimistic disposition. Regardless of whether you ascribe to either side, why not just be happy that you have a glass? You may think that your lifetime of experiences can be classified as either “good” or “bad,” but this life is of endless possibility, so why not appreciate it for what it is?

The “imperfections” of life can be loved just as well, and they can bolster appreciation for the root goodness that is associated with whatever “bad” thing is happening. Let’s say that your dog has fleas. It’s easy to imagine the frustrations that build from such a simple, common occurrence, but instead of lamenting the affliction, why not think: “I’m grateful to even have a dog. Many people would love to have such a companion but can’t due to money constraints or allergies. To keep its joy in my life, of course I’d be willing to give my dog a bath once in a while.” It’s opportunities like these that we can use to become either disenchanted or enlivened by life. The key to remember is that you have a choice.

Wabi-sabi does not have rules; you don’t have to hire someone to tell you if you’re doing it right, and you won’t be judged if yours doesn’t end up looking like a swan. Just take it with you, and when your tree begins to shed its leaves, when your cat sprouts a few gray hairs, or when the spot on your shoes won’t budge, think of it. If you don’t know what you have until it’s gone, let these reminders guide you to appreciating what you have while you still have it. When time shows you what true beauty is, wabi-sabi.