Wabi Sabi

Have you ever thought about how and why some things age the way they do? Some items, be it a piece of technology, an item of clothing, a car or even something as simple as a baseball, can age with grace while other items just turn to crap. I have been thinking about this concept as of late, inspired by an article I recently came across on the subject of Wabi Sabi.

Wabi Sabi, according to Wikipedia, is a “comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is ‘imperfect, impermanent and incomplete’”. I have also heard it simply described as “elegance in imperfection”.

But what does this really mean to me?

It means that Wabi Sabi is subjective.

You see, what is aesthetically pleasing to some folks may not be to others. Take for example this baseball. What looks like an old, worthless baseball to most people is actually an object of beauty to me. There is history behind this ball, as it has been in my posession for a very long time. When my son and I play catch, this is the baseball we use (above all the others that we have). Many wonderful memories have been made with this ball.

I love the way the rough texture feels in my hand. My fingers grip the laces just so, and even though it may not look like it would, it glides smoothly though the air.

This particular ball is also incomplete in the sense that the more we play with it, the more character it develops.