Wabi-sabi

If you want to give a Japanese person a hard time, ask him what "Wabi-sabi" mean.

"Perfect blue sky...not wabisabi. Blue sky with white cloud...yes wabisabi" One of my friend try to give example.

"Oh...very difficult...old temple with broken roof...I don't know how to explain...very difficult" another Japanese fail to try.

"...It's like Sakura flower that fall too soon"

" Oh...is it like sad, romantic kind of feeling?" I ask.

" No..no...ummm...how can I say?"

With many questioning, turn out...I never really get a clear answer. But sometimes, that is the beauty of it. Like many great songs, that doesn't make full sense. You never know what the song really mean, but you still like it. You like the feeling that come with it.

I like the word "Wabisabi". The sound of it and the unclear meaning I could glasp.

The imperfection in things; object or human.

The beauty that only time can create.

Broken pieces of memory that hold up over time.

Changes and impermanance.

It's wabisabi...and it's life.

Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering,

There's a crack, a crack in everything

That's how the light gets in."

(Leonard Cohen)

PS. Dedicated to L R S J A on your Bday :-) xxx