Kintsugi makes us reconnect with our old items and binds us with our dearest memories.
Is there anything more valuable than our memories? Our most fascinating and enjoyable conversations are all about small dear moments. These moments are special and give our life richer meaning. When we have nostalgic souvenirs of these moments, we would do everything we can to keep and preserve them.
And the story goes: Eli was the chairman of the building committee he and Oded lived in. Eli is a religious man who goes to the same synagogue for the last 47 years. One day’ as Eli had a small talk with Oded at the staircase he asked Oded for help renovating and repairing the synagogue. Oded gladly agreed.
“I arrived the synagogue and started working after I was done, I noticed a broken bench covered by a cloth.” “As I saw it, I told Eli I could fix it” says Oded. “At first Eli did not know what I was talking about, but when I showed him the bench, he was truly amazed”.
“I sat on that bench when I was reading the bible on my bar mitzva at 13” Eli said excitingly. “I haven’t seen it for year, I didn’t even know it was here”
Oded suggested that he fixed the bench that was missing one leg, and Eli immediately agreed. Oded started doing some woodwork and painted the legs of the bench, and soon the bench was alive again. 60 years old Eli was so happy, and decided that the bench will be put in their building.
The bench was put at the staircase entrance where the two met, so other tenants would be able to sit and talk- after all, it was this sort of conversation that led to fixing the bench and reminded Eli many nostalgic moments he almost forgot.
In Oded’s mind, kintsugi is much more than a golden stitch as it is called in Japan. It is a whole philosophy that believes old items don’t have to perish, and reviving also revives memories and promoted sustainability.