Helen Russell takes a careful look at all the ways people around the world find to be happy. She features thirty of these methods in her book, The Atlas of Happiness: The Global Secrets of How to Be Happy.
In Japan, the word that sums up the way people find happiness is wabi-sabi.
What is wabi-sabi (pronounced "wah-be-sah-be")? From the book: 'The abandonment of all aesthetic ideals that demand "perfection," wabi-sabi is an appreciation of things the way they are; a reveling in the texture and complexity of real life and the beauty of imperfection." Yes, the beauty of imperfection.
We often think of naming our old house The Wabi-Sabi Cottage.
My drawings and paintings are wabi-sabi.
My baking, like these kolaches: wabi-sabi.
My favorite works of art, like this mural in Paris (l) and this quilt from the Houston International Quilt Show (r), are wabi-sabi.
My favorite photos, like this one of my granddaughter, Annie, and me, are wabi-sabi, I think.
Wabi-sabi. The happiness that comes from accepting life just as it is, flawed and beautiful.
Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where you can share new words that you’ve encountered, or spotlight words you love. Feel free to get creative! It was first created by Kathy over at Bermuda Onion and is now hosted at Elza Reads.
How beautiful. Would it be that everything were "wabi-sabi".
ReplyDeleteI read a book by Helen Russell last year, seems like she likes to spread happiness wherever she goes.
Have a wabi-sabi day!
What a lovely photo of you and your granddaughter. Thank you for educating me on Wabi Sabi, I enjoyed learning about that.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cottage.
Oh Wow Debbie, I am having such a tough week and I think I needed your post and especially your Wondrous Word. Wabi-Sabi. That is awesome and I think I need to start chanting it or something.
ReplyDeleteI think your cottage is a bit more perfect than wabi-sabi. I love the yellow!!!!! You and your granddaughter are beautiful. Such a blessing and I know appreciate it. So happy for you.
Have a wonderful week, we are out of town until Sunday so I don't know if I'll get to the blog. If not - I'll chat to you next week!
Thanks for taking part in WWW, I appreciate it so much!
PS: I ugly laughed at your comment on my WWW... Yes, I am sure you have very fond memories of your dashing Texan rakes back in the day.
DeleteHaha! I'm glad.
DeleteIt's the perfect way to approach life. I like it and I approve.
ReplyDeleteThank you for joining the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Wordless Wednesday. Wabi-Sabi! ♥
I think that is the way I feel most of the time but with this pandemic it is hard to be that way sometimes. I do like your old house
ReplyDeletePre-Covid I would have scoffed at Wabi-Sabi, as my slight OCD tendencies meant I generally always strived for perfection and anything less made me very anxious, a job was never finished until it was done completely and relaxation was something which I never did until all my jobs were complete generally meaning when I went to bed ... You get the general idea!
ReplyDeleteNow with Covid lockdown, we have been isolating for the best part of a year due to hubbie's underlying health condition, times have definitely seen me chill out and mellow more and now Wabi-Sabi seems like a good idea and I aim to try and stick to it going forwards. It's such a lovely word!
Thanks for sharing and enjoy the rest of your week :)
Yvonne x
What a wonderful topic to cover, I'll have to check out that book. Have a wabi-sabi day!
ReplyDeleteI love this. Adorable picture of you and your granddaughter! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this meaning. I'll be using it A LOT today. My kids will think I'm nuts. But that's OK.
Wabi-sabi certainly saves some angst, doesn't it? I really like that concept!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2021/02/black-and-white.html
I love that word and that notion, accepting the imperfection and taking in the happiness imperfect things bring :) That quilt is beautiful, I loooooove your old house and yellow is the colour of light and happiness for me ! And that picture of you and your granddaughter radiates happiness :)
ReplyDeleteWabi Sabi has been one of my favorites (along with Hygge) from the time I heard it. It's the BEST word. I always thought that would be a good name for a cat or dog, too!
ReplyDeleteWabi Sabi! Thanks for sharing yours! Yes its a mantra around here! Have a marvellously Happy Day!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately even making a big effort I can't find any Wabi Sabi here ! we are locked in in the second lockdown, except the shops everything is closed and people get depressive ! On top it's cold and it rains since a week, apparently it was the wettest January since years. I don't have flippers yet that's why I prefer to stay inside. We wear masks, keep distances and are allowed to have one visitor ! Don't you have the opposite word for Wabi Sabi ??
ReplyDeleteI know exactly how you feel. I know I'm in a much better position than most but it does get frustrating when you keep to the rules, others don't and we all get punished ...
DeleteBut there will be better times, there have to be.
Wabi-sabi is in the eye of the beholder. It can be learned. As always, thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI love all of your examples of wabi-sabi, especially the photos of your beautiful home and that darling granddaughter!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, so now I'm really curious to see how Tanizaki talked about it in In Praise of Shadows!
ReplyDeleteIt has a nice ring to it - a wonderful precept!
ReplyDeleteMy favourite words are Hakuna-matata!
Wabi-sabi! I love that!
ReplyDeleteI learnt something new and interesting.
ReplyDeleteYOU are wabi sari to me. YOU bring me happiness. I put some finger-puppet valentines in your LFL yesterday and traded three books for ones of mine. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWabi-sabi - I love that!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous post. Thank you so much for sharing your pictures and thoughts on wabi sabi.
ReplyDeleteLynn :D
I love the concept of wabi-sabi and loved the way you showed us how it takes place in your life. What a delightful post!
ReplyDeleteYour granddaughter is adorable.
ReplyDeleteI love the concept of this book (added to my wishlist!) and the meaning behind Wabi-Sabi. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteDeb,
ReplyDeleteAhh, I love this concept! I did not know that this is what Wabi-Sabi meant. :)