Take Action While You Can

 

Looking back on life, I feel that when there is something you truly want to do and it is within your power to do it now, seizing the opportunity and taking action is essential to living without regrets. Even if something is possible today, changes in our circumstances or surrounding conditions may make it impossible later. This is especially true in our later years. From observing the experiences of my parents and other older adults, I have come to feel that it is important to complete end-of-life preparations while we are still mentally sharp and physically capable. These preparations involve numerous tasks, from administrative procedures to many other practical details. As the Japanese saying goes, “being prepared means having no worries.” Taking care of these matters in advance can help prevent unnecessary burdens on our families or government agencies later. Balancing the enjoyment of our later years with end-of-life planning requires us to accomplish many things within a limited period. For this reason, we should take care of these matters while we are still healthy, independent, and capable of managing them ourselves.

Popular posts from this blog

Conversations with Myself

Image
  When I write essays, a daily routine for me, I often feel as though I am conversing with another version of myself—one that offers me advice. On closer reflection, I realize this advice is shaped by what I have learned from books, mentors, and my own past experiences. In a sense, my present self simply lives day by day without much wisdom to rely on, while this other self reaches into memory, retrieves lessons, and presents them as guidance. It feels almost like the relationship between a computer’s memory and hard drive: one draws out and supplies what the other needs. Yet, there is something to be mindful of. If we consciously nurture this inner dialogue to bring out positive insights, it can protect and guide us. But if we allow it to unconsciously pull forth negative thoughts, it may instead work against us.
Read more

Lessons from Difficult Relationships

Image
  It is easy to say we should distance ourselves from people we dislike, but when avoidance is impossible, the situation can feel almost tragic. Yet, even such relationships offer valuable lessons. Rather than being superficial, we can sometimes ease tension by considering the other person’s position—as well as the perspectives of those who support them—and by facing them without outright denial but with a broader, higher outlook. Because difficult people stand out so clearly, they challenge us to raise our own awareness. This is easier said than done, but worth attempting with calmness. When we succeed, our sense of difficulty diminishes, and the experience becomes a resource for handling other challenging relationships.
Read more

Limits of Selflessness

Image
  Most people are easily motivated by immediate gains or losses. However, even when we tell ourselves that we are dedicating our time selflessly, without expecting anything in return, and striving to accumulate virtue, sustaining such motivation without a visible endpoint is far from easy. If we push ourselves too hard, we simply cannot continue. Therefore, we must act within reasonable limits, guided by wisdom and ingenuity.
Read more