Quote of the Day: Hemingway, Kintsugi, and My Journey Back to Whole by Jared Harding Wilson

by Jared Harding Wilson

Quote of the day…

“The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.” — Ernest Hemingway

The Reality of Being Broken

I know what it’s like to be literally, physically broken. I’ve broken my right arm on three separate occasions in my life. Each time, there was the snap, the immediate pain, and the long, slow process of a cast and rehabilitation.

But I also know a different kind of “broken.” I know what it’s like to be spiritually, emotionally, and even mentally shattered to the point where I contemplated—and almost committed—suicide. When you are that broken, the world feels dark, and the way back seems impossible.

How do you come back from that?

The Choice to Heal

For me, the very first step was the hardest: I sought help. I saw a doctor for my arm, and I have seen many therapists over the years for my soul. It was a conscious choice. I could have chosen not to seek help. I could have chosen to remain “unhealthy” and let the cracks stay open. Had I chosen that path, I would have been forced to live with:

• Chronic physical pain that limits every movement.

• Deep, paralyzing depression that makes even getting out of bed a battle.

• Suffocating anxiety and a constant sense of dread.

• The crushing weight of rejection and abandonment, leaving me feeling discarded or unworthy of love.

• Total isolation, pushing away the people who care most.

• Bitter resentment toward a world that felt unfair.

• A lingering sense of hopelessness that colors every future thought.

But I didn’t want that. I chose to live my best life as best I can.

The Art of Kintsugi

This journey of healing reminds me of the Japanese art of Kintsugi. As you can see in the image above, Kintsugi is the practice of repairing broken pottery with lacquer mixed with powdered gold.

Instead of hiding the cracks, Kintsugi highlights them. It treats the breakage and repair as a beautiful part of the object’s history. The philosophy is that the piece is actually more beautiful and valuable for having been broken.

The Art of Mending

But if I’m being completely honest, it wasn’t just the world that broke me; I broke myself, too. I lived an unhealthy, sad life for a long time, and my own choices—the way I treated my body and my mind—often added to that brokenness. I fell more than once to break my arm, and I fell even more times emotionally. I wasn’t just a bystander in my pain; I was often a participant in my own undoing.

In the art of Kintsugi, the “gold” is what makes the object whole again, and it’s no different in life. For me, that gold has been therapy, the hard-earned practice of self-compassion, and the unwavering support of my loved ones. Most importantly, my wonderful wife has been a vital part of that mending process, standing by me through the darkest times when I couldn’t even stand by myself. Learning how to turn things around and live a truly healthy life took an incredible amount of time and grueling work. It wasn’t a quick fix, but I can tell you with my whole heart: it was worth it. If you are sitting among the pieces of your life right now, whether the world broke you or you broke yourself, please reach out. There is no shame in the mending, and you don’t have to do it alone.

We all have our own ‘broken places.’ If you feel comfortable sharing, what has been the ‘gold’ in your life that helped you mend? Let’s support each other in the comments below.”

Photo from Jared Harding Wilson. All rights reserved.