Light and the broken pieces

How the Gift of a Mosaic Brought Clarity and Light

“Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world.
All things break. And all things can be mended.
Not with time, as they say, but with intention.
So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally.
The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you.”

~ L.R. Knost

Brokenness. Love. Light.

Somehow they are all connected. And the gift of a mosaic helped me connect the dots.

For those new to our story, In 2016, Andy was diagnosed with stage four cancer. Over eight years later, he is still navigating treatments. But that’s not all - he has been encouraging the two of us to find ways to show up in the world and share what we have learned from our journey and from the others who have crossed our paths. For the past two years, we’ve dreamt of taking this work to the stage and last April, that dream became a reality! Andy and I partnered with musician and speaker, Lynn O’Brien, to present “Begin Again: The Practice of Being Human.” Over 200 people showed up to support us as we shared not only snippets of our family’s medical journey, but powerful stories from others in the world including authors, poets, artists, and even a mountaineer, to help explore ways to navigate when life takes an unexpected turn.

A few months later our friends, Sandra and Ossian, invited us to their home to celebrate our friendship. Imagine our delight when they presented us with a gift, inspired by their attendance at our April event. Sandra had handcrafted an original artwork, a mosaic sun based on the branding from our event. Not only has this original work found a special place in our home, it has become a sacred reminder of the pieces — and power — of our journey.

As beautiful as this artwork is, it takes on an entirely different magnificence when located where the light can filter through it.

This mosaic has become incredibly important to us, as a symbol of who we are, and how we choose to show up in the world.

As a metaphor for life, the mosaic can remind us of several important ideas:

• There can be beauty in the brokenness. Mosaics are created by assembling broken materials such as glass, tile, even cracked heirloom china. What was once considered of no use, can be assembled into something new and powerful.

• If you are navigating something hard (a job change, a divorce, a medical diagnosis), consider changing how you view the situation. The darkness may still be there, but if you adjust your view, or “move the artwork” perhaps you will find that there is also light.

• Sometimes it is challenging to imagine how you will reach the end of a new journey that has changed your course. Focusing on how to get from here ————> to there, can be overwhelming. In much the same way, a mosaic artist can have a sense of where a project is headed, but still must take it step by step, with focus given to the addition of each new tile. One tile at a time. One step at at time.

• The fragments of our lives may be imperfect, but together they make up who we are. The joys and triumphs, as well as the road bumps and challenges. Different colors, different shapes, arranged and held together by the essence of who we are at our core.

Our beloved mosaic is a jeweled tapestry, reminding us that all of our lives are woven with the warp and weft of experiences both beautiful and hard - sometimes in the very same moment. And as important as the individual pieces are, we also honor the space between the colored shards. In my mind, this is how we hold it “all” together. On our journey, the space between the tiles in our life is filled with community, presence, curiosity, love, milestones, and moments. The intersection of our lives with others gives us context and motivation to rethink how we will show up as a work of art - imperfect, broken, but eager to let the light filter in.

Our work will continue as we look to create safe spaces to gather in community to explore our individual and collective stories. Our next event “2025: Begin Again - An Interactive Watch Party” will be virtual, so no matter where in the world you find yourself, you might consider joining us. This two-part, virtual event will feature a live, first-time showing of our program from last April which we’ll watch and reflect on together - as well as guided discussions and exercises to help you integrate these concepts for yourself. Learn more HERE.

As we enter the days to come, may the mosaic metaphor remind us to embrace the fragments of our lives, seeking light where we can, and honoring that every piece—no matter how small or uneven—has a place. Because even the most challenging detours in our lives might offer us remarkable moments, if we let the light get in.