Posts

Cosmic Self

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  In astrophysics, the dust and gas produced by supernova explosions contain elements such as hydrogen, helium, carbon, and oxygen. Since these elements eventually became part of Earth and gave rise to all terrestrial life, including human beings, we are often described as being made of stardust—a reminder that we are, in a very real sense, part of the cosmos. Remarkably, researchers have also noted intriguing similarities between the network structure of neural circuits in the human brain and the large-scale structure of the universe, with its countless galaxies, black holes, etc. Inspired by such parallels, some astrophysicists and philosophers have suggested that the universe, through curious and imperfect human observers, is gradually coming to know itself. Over mere decades and centuries, humanity has uncovered tiny fragments of a cosmos that has existed for approximately 13.8 billion years—an astonishing pace when viewed against cosmic time. Whether or not this vision is lite...
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Hope Ahead

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When we have something to look forward to in the near future, it gives us emotional encouragement. It becomes easier to endure the small hardships of daily life while inspiring us to make the most of each day until that moment arrives. For example, planning a trip to a country you have never visited and anticipating its culture and natural beauty can become a meaningful source of motivation. If your daily routine has left you feeling overwhelmed or emotionally drained, try setting a goal for something you genuinely look forward to and plan to make it happen within the coming months or year. Even alongside small daily pleasures, having such a future event to anticipate can lighten your heart and renew your spirit.
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True Questions

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  Whether it is a once-in-a-century discovery by a great thinker that brings immense benefit to humanity or a profound insight that illuminates the life of an ordinary person, such achievements emerge from persistent reflection on essential, deep, and genuine questions, combined with opportunity and circumstance. This reminds us of the importance of wrestling with our own authentic questions about what truly matters, rather than settling for the trite, ready-made answers of others. In an age of rapid AI advancement, this uniquely human capacity is being tested—and valued—more than ever.
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Fresh Perspective

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  Since retiring, my wife and I have made it a daily habit to walk around our neighborhood. To keep the routine from becoming monotonous, we vary our route each time, and occasionally drive 10 to 15 minutes to a nearby park or other pleasant place for a change of scenery. One of our favorite destinations is a lush municipal sports center about ten minutes from home, where we sometimes enjoy walking along the surrounding paths. Yesterday and today, however, we tried something different: instead of walking outdoors, we exercised in the center’s gym and used several pieces of fitness equipment. It was my wife’s first visit to a gym, and for me, it had been more than a decade. We both approached the experience with fresh eyes and discovered that we had more physical stamina than we had expected, which gave us renewed confidence. It was also fascinating to realize how differently we viewed the same sports center simply because our purpose had changed. A familiar place can feel surprisin...
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Satisfying Curiosity

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  Throughout my career, I devoted myself to acquiring the practical knowledge and skills needed to achieve meaningful results. After retiring, however, I gradually drifted away from my professional field, and my interests naturally expanded to broader subjects such as history and physics. There is a quiet joy in discovering, one by one, things I had never known before and satisfying my pure intellectual curiosity. That feeling resembles the deep contentment of enjoying a truly satisfying meal. As a citizen, I also remain interested in politics, economics, diplomacy, and national security. Yet these fields are deeply shaped by conflicting human interests, values, and ambitions. Even when I gain new knowledge in those areas, it rarely satisfies my intellectual curiosity in the same way, because the issues are shaped less by universal principles than by conflicting human interests and values.
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Between Worlds

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  From the expansion of the universe to the fluctuations of elementary particles, the world we inhabit is filled with profound mystery and astonishing precision. It is hard not to marvel at the laws and order that govern it all. Yet we go about our daily lives largely unaware of this, focusing instead on the narrow confines of our routines, where our emotions rise and fall with the ordinary events before us. In truth, however, we exist between the ultra-microscopic and the ultra-macroscopic realms. Simply recognizing that our lives unfold within this miraculous space brings a quiet sense of awe and spiritual clarity.
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The Age Within

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  While I have no scientific evidence to support this, reflecting on my own life and watching interviews with older adults has led me to believe that people who habitually say, “I’m too old,” often seem to age more quickly—both physically and mentally. By the time they reach their fifties and beyond, they may appear and think noticeably older than many of their peers. In contrast, those who pay little attention to their age, remain deeply curious, and creatively enrich their daily lives sometimes appear more than a decade younger than others of the same age, even in their eighties or nineties. While many factors influence how we age, these observations suggest that our mindset plays a powerful role in sustaining the inner vitality needed to live a vibrant life.
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