Wabi-sabi

Wabi-sabi is a Japanese artistic tradition which acknowledges three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.

For centuries, some Japanese (and Chinese) artists have intentionally added an imperfection to their work, to honor the principle that only God is perfect.

But I’m not Japanese!  And when I received the first printing of my first (and only) book, I was more than a little distraught to discover what I considered to be two big mistakes, one in the Table of Contents, the other in an important quotation.

That’s when I remembered the concept of wabi-sabi.

Those errors in OM∙Less? are now corrected, but no doubt a careful reader may find a few more.  That’s OK.  I am more comfortable now with the wabi-sabi in my book — and in my life.

Wouldn’t we all enjoy more peaceful, loving lives if we remembered more often that nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect?  SBP