13 Comments
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Jeremy Mathew's avatar

This is beautiful, Michael. Thanks for sharing!

My own writing tends to circle around the metaphor of fragmentation. It's everywhere in culture right now. It makes sense. Lately though, I'm wondering how I could challenge myself to write more about wholeness. You touched on both here so well. I think I'm starting to see it more as a cyclical breaking and coalescing back into a whole. There's beauty in that.

I love pottery throwdown! Everyone I've introduced to this show has this same initial impression of Keith. We are so suspicious of tenderness. We think anytime someone allows this side of themselves to be seen, that it must be a performance of some kind.

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JoAnn's avatar

I admire your vulnerability, this was really beautiful.

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Natalie Arriola's avatar

This is a beautiful and moving piece. Thank you for sharing and for being so vulnerable. I too feel broken in this moment, hopefully we can all glue the pieces back together into something even more beautiful.

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Skylar Renslow's avatar

I felt this so deeply. I've gone through a few different periods like this in my life, broken and constantly turning inward, feeling estranged and not sure how, or what, to say to those around me. Beautiful and evocative writing, thanks for sharing it.

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Christoph Tsang Grosse's avatar

So gorgeous.

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Kim's avatar

Love the sincerity in your writing. I feel like my thoughts are a bit kinder now, having read this.

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Ekaterina Raas's avatar

So much tenderness in this piece. Thank you for sharing, Michael.

I did wonder towards the end - if you were truly broken, who was it that bent down to gather the pieces? Maybe what shattered were your expectations. The image of how life was supposed to go. And maybe, in letting all that fall apart, you were actually letting go of things that were never truly yours to carry. To me, this read like you were finally coming home to yourself.

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Katie Besgrove's avatar

This was so beautiful. Thank you for writing it.

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terry nguyen's avatar

for many months now, i’ve told friends that ive felt extremely porous! your kintsugi metaphor marvelously captures how this feels.

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Janet's avatar

Exquisite, vulnerable and beautifully expressed.

The timing of your essay could not have been more perfect…….both personally and collectively.

….no quick fix, patience, healing and the appreciation of imperfection.

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Hares Corner's avatar

Thank you for sharing

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Lucy Hearne Keane's avatar

Thank you for sharing your vulnerability. It is courageous and evocative writing.

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Sarah Crowder's avatar

This was really, really beautiful and evocative writing.

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