Introduction: Where the Light Gets In

“Picture a shattered teacup, its cracks laced with golden threads—each line whispering a story of resilience.”

That’s Kintsugi—the Japanese art of mending brokenness with beauty—and the heart of this book. Fill Your Cracks with Gold is for anyone who’s felt fractured by life’s changes—a lost job, a shifting dream, a quiet awakening—yet longs to transform those cracks into something extraordinary.

It was early morning when I stood at my kitchen window, waiting for the world to wake. The soft light of early dawn was creeping over the Organ Mountains. I reached for my favorite morning coffee mug, a Starbucks keepsake from a trip to the beautiful town of San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. The rim had the tiniest chip, a tiny flaw that caught my eye—and suddenly, I couldn’t breathe.

My husband had just been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. My world had cracked open, and the weight of change shook me to my core. My trembling was so intense I had to grip the cold granite counter to steady myself. I took a deep, shaky breath—the cold terrazzo tile beneath my bare feet grounding me. Right now, I was safe. The fear was about what might be, not what was.

That chipped mug—like me—was still whole. Still beautiful.

In that quiet moment, I realized my scars, my stories, could help light the way for others.

My thoughts drifted back to Japan, where I lived for over four years. There, I learned what it meant to bow with reverence, sip tea with presence, and see beauty in a teacup’s worn edge. I discovered Wabi-Sabi—the art of embracing imperfection. Ikigai—the compass for a life of purpose. Kintsugi—the golden repair that turns our cracks into sacred stories. These philosophies became my lifeline—as an artist, speaker, and entrepreneur—threaded through my Kintsugi-inspired art and the companies I’ve built.

Growing up as a naval fighter pilot’s daughter, life was a whirlwind of new adventures—new homes, new schools, new friends, and endless fresh starts. My dad’s world ran like a well-oiled jet: all precision, order, and polished perfection. Meanwhile, my elegant Southern mama wrangled our rowdy crew of four kids with a sparkle in her eye, turning our chaotic antics into a kind of beautiful, unruly art. One day in Oak Harbor, Washington, when an earthquake rattled our house, she hollered, “Y’all quit tearing this place apart!”—convinced her wild bunch was to blame for the shaking walls. That was our life: a joyful, messy dance between discipline and delight, teaching me early on to embrace the Wabi-Sabi beauty of a perfectly imperfect world. Those early lessons shaped me. But it was Japan that transformed me.

On a TEDx stage, I’ve shared how our cracks can shine and our intuition guide us. I’ve met changemakers who turned their broken moments into breakthroughs. Through my own peaks and valleys—joyful triumphs and devastating losses—I’ve seen this truth: The most inspiring people are not unbroken. They’ve mended their lives with the gold of hope, love, inspiration and ingenuity—and shine all the brighter for it.

We live in an ever-changing world—reshaped by pandemics, technology, aging, caregiving, and quiet questions like, What now? Maybe you’re facing a career pivot, a loss, or a subtle inner shift that’s asking for your attention. This book is for you. It’s not about fixing yourself. It’s about honoring what’s real. And letting beauty grow from what has been cracked.

Recently, I recognized that I was being pulled toward something more organic and softer. I found myself longing for authenticity, for nature, for something that spoke to my soul and inner being. My art had changed. My home changed. I changed.

Is the world changing? Am I? The answer is yes to both. And that’s okay. As I was beginning work on this project I shared this book with my wonderful friend Angela Hill

Weber, asking for her thoughts. With a laugh, she said, “Cynthia, I’ve got plenty of cracks, but I’m not sure I’ve filled them with gold. More like caulk and duct tape—and it’s barely holding!” We laughed, but her words hit home. Sometimes, your cracks are patched with whatever’s at hand, and that’s okay too. Gold doesn’t always come right away. It’s the act of mending—messy, imperfect, human—that starts the journey.

This book is a love letter to that change. To you. And to the imperfect, golden beauty of becoming.

You don’t need to be whole to start. You don’t need all the answers.

Your cracks are where your light gets in. Let's begin.

Organic Paper Mache Bowl with Gold

Join me on this journey. Let’s weave gold through our cracks together.