Wabi-sabi

Wabi-sabi is similar to minimalism in that it discusses both an aesthetic and world-view perspective. It's a Japanese word, according to Wikipedia and Richard Powell, that "nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect."

Basically, the term encompasses many different concepts but generally focuses on the beauty of impermanence, and the beauty of simplicity, economy, and asperity. The heightened sense of this concept is one where we find everyday objects and environments fascinating and beautiful. The world around us is always changing, and we can appreciate that in so many ways.

I wanted to tie this concept into the minimalism of the blog. It's a simple fact that nothing is static. We can fight all we want for the very best life we can possibly manage, but things will change and nothing will be perfect. Even in a day-to-day sense, some days our houses will be messy, even if we don't own that much. In that sense, the application of minimalism will change from moment to moment, preserving the space but still appreciating the underlining qualities.

Life will always change. Either we can fight change, or we can accept it and appreciate the beauty of the transition, and the beauty of what we manage to accomplish. Nothing will ever be perfect, because time continues to tick along its circular groove, but there is an expression within imperfection, sometimes subtle, that we could notice and focus on if we tried.