October 07, 2026

Make Peace With Brokenness

Wholeness does not mean perfection; it means embracing brokenness as an integral part of life.

Parker Palmer wrote this in A Hidden Wholeness, a book born from his own struggle with clinical depression and his years leading 'Circles of Trust' retreats for people seeking a more integrated life. For decades he believed that if he performed well enough and hid the cracks, he would finally be whole. His breakdown taught him the opposite: real wholeness comes from surrendering the effort to look put-together and trusting that the broken, uncertain parts belong too. It is a quiet instruction for anyone who starts the day already bracing to manage appearances instead of simply showing up as they are.