A Journey through My Diverse Perspectives

  In my youth, I had no deep awareness of the Buddhist concept of cause and effect in life, which states that “what you say and do comes back to you.” However, around the age of 42, I experienced a painful setback and a period of deep despair, through which I came to understand the true meaning of cause and effect—something that had never crossed my mind before. Furthermore, I realized that unless I changed myself, similar events leading to major setbacks might occur again. I am not a particularly superstitious person, but in Japan it has long been believed that men who turn 42 (by traditional Japanese age reckoning) enter a period of great misfortune, when the consequences of past good and bad actions return to them. In my case, after passing that age, I could not help feeling that I, too, was experiencing such a period. In terms of personal growth, however, these arduous experiences gave me a valuable opportunity to understand myself more deeply and ultimately helped me grow as a...

  Knowledge and experience gained through effort can be seen as intangible intellectual assets that rarely disappear. We never know when they may prove useful—sometimes immediately, and sometimes, in my own experience, even thirty years later. At other times, they emerge in completely unexpected situations. In such moments, we may even feel a sense of destiny, realizing that the intellectual assets we built through past efforts were never in vain.

  The sight of someone wholeheartedly devoted to something is truly beautiful and radiant, often stirring empathy and emotion in those around them. Why are we so deeply moved by such people? Perhaps it is because their efforts are not driven by ego, but by sincerity and selflessness. When a person pours their energy into something good with genuine dedication, that invisible energy spreads like ripples, touching the hearts of others. It awakens empathy, inspires quiet admiration, and sometimes even encourages us to follow the same path.

  The Japanese proverb, “If you wait, calm and perfect weather for sailing will eventually come,” teaches that even when circumstances are unfavorable, if we continue to work diligently and patiently without becoming discouraged, fortune will eventually turn and good opportunities will appear. It also reminds us that success often depends not only on effort but also on timing. This wisdom suggests that perseverance and patience form one of the surest paths to success—not only in short-term challenges but throughout the long journey of life.

  It is said that words are a manifestation of the heart. If this is true, then by increasing our stock of beautiful words that can clearly express the subtleties of our hearts and intuitions, and by using them effectively, we can deepen our communication with others and resonate with them on a higher level. Such resonance can, in turn, bring mutual emotional nourishment and quiet joy, leading to a deeper sense of fulfillment.

  When I was young, I often heard older people say, “Young people these days are indifferent and lack guts and perseverance.” Today, many seniors of my generation or older say, “Young people these days don’t respect their elders and lack guts and perseverance.” It seems that such remarks have been repeated from generation to generation since ancient times. Yet among these seniors, there are occasionally those who say, “Young people today are polite, and many of them are excellent.” Perhaps these individuals have the ability to see the good in others. Without creating psychological barriers between generations, they interact with young people openly and without prejudice—and are therefore naturally liked by them in any era.