We could all use some Wabi-Sabi

I was reading an article in one of my favorite magazines the other day and ran across Wabi-Sabi.  Wabi-Sabi is the Japanese philosophy of appreciating things that are imperfect, primitive and incomplete.  This idea got me thinking about people's homes.  It made me think about my own home and how much Wabi-Sabi I might have.

My husband and I went to an acquaintances house one time for dinner.  The house was enormous, it was beautiful and filled with tons of beautiful and expensive things.  I don't think I ever saw a speck of dirt or dust the entire time I was there.  There is no doubt that the house was beautiful, but it was....uncomfortable to me.  I felt like I was in a museum of all of these "things" that these people had bought from some fancy store.  These are very nice people who have a taste for nice things.  I'm not knockin' it. It's just not for me.  I wondered how much time and money was spent keeping up this beautiful, yet uncomfortable home.  To me, it had no Wabi-Sabi.  Not to mention I was a complete basket case while I was there because every time I turned around my kids were getting ready to touch or break something that looked incredibly expensive.

My Dad's house is small, very simple and filled with all sorts of interesting things.  Some of the things I could do without, but generally speaking, it has a unique sense of style and best of all...comfort.  I'm sure all of you have experienced that feeling of comfort before.  Maybe you feel that way about your own home.  If you do, you are one of the lucky few.  Have you even been to someone's house and when you walk in you already feel like you're at home?  You're not worried that you might get something dirty or that your kids will touch something that they aren't supposed to.  You just feel comfortable enough where you could go sit down on the couch and kick your feet up.  To me, that is Wabi-Sabi.  For example, in my Dad's house, everything has a story.  The story isn't about what store he bought it from.  His things are weathered and sometimes shabby.  They are ordinary.  I think that's what Wabi-Sabi is about, seeing the beauty in ordinary things. 

Real people leave their mail on the counter and laundry piled up on the couch.  Real people have dust bunnies hiding out somewhere in their house and let their dog sleep on the bed.  Wabi-Sabi embraces these flaws.  Next time you worry about what your house looks like, just think....it might give off a little bit of Wabi-Sabi to whoever comes to visit!

I want my home to feel Wabi-Sabi-ish.  I think that not only is it about seeing the beauty in ordinary things and imperfection, but also for your home to express grace.  Isn't that was Jesus has done for us?  Given us grace even though we are often times shabby and imperfect?  He still finds the beauty in us.  After all, aren't our favorite things the one's that we've had forever, like a comfortable sweatshirt or old book?  Exhibiting Wabi-sabi and grace to those who come in to your home will leave them with an everlasting impression that you value a relationship with people more than anything else.