A Journey through My Diverse Perspectives

  A Japanese intellectual in the Tokugawa shogunate, Shoin Yoshida (1830-1859), said, "Those without dreams have no ideals, those without ideals have no plans, those without plans have no execution, and those without execution have no success," which is true in any era and any field.

  This morning, I drove a little farther than usual and went for a walk in a different place. As I strolled, drawing energy from the nature around me, an elderly woman in jogging clothes briskly passed me. After a short distance, she stopped and squatted down to pick up something. Curious, I approached and saw her collecting plastic bottles and other trash, putting them in a small bag, and then resuming her run. It didn't seem like she was doing this as a job; rather, I guessed that she probably voluntarily cleaned up trash around the pond every day. This realization refreshed my heart. I saw a heroine doing good deeds in a place where no one was watching. Although I wanted to call out to her, the distance between us quickly widened. Reflecting on this encounter, I realized that heroes and heroines are all around us, even in the events of our daily lives.

  The Japanese proverb "The kindness you have shown to others should be washed away, and the kindness you have received from others should be carved in stone" originates from Buddhist scriptures. This teaches us to let go of the expectation of receiving something in return for the kindness we show others, and instead, to deeply appreciate and remember the kindness we receive from others. In our busy lives, we often forget the kindness we receive and fail to recognize the invisible kindness that surrounds us. This proverb reflects a common aspect of human psychology that we struggle with daily. While understanding the proverb's meaning is important, putting it into practice requires consistent effort. If more people adopt this mindset, we can create significant positive changes in society.

  "When creating something, put your heart and soul into it." is a common phrase that has been used since ancient times in Japan, especially by craftsmen's masters to their disciples, which is now one of my favorite phrases. When I was young, those words were just knowledge and I never put them into practice seriously. It wasn't until I was around 50 years old that I first realized the true nature of those words and have been putting them into practice ever since. Needless to say, it led to a significant increase in the value of my work. From this experience, I realized that knowledge cannot become our true power unless we make full use of it in practice.

  Although the harsh winter is still continuing in Japan, plum blossoms and early-blooming cherry blossoms have begun to bloom, and the sound of spring's approach can be heard steadily, heightening anticipation for the arrival of spring. Japanese businessman Yoshiharu Fukuhara (1931-2023), once said, “As long as you are alive, spring will come.” On the other hand, another wise person famously said, “There is no winter that spring does not visit.” Personally, I simply prefer the former quote, which begins with “As long as you are alive...”, as it has more depth and persuasive power. If I were to offer advice to someone feeling hopeless about a situation in life, I would naturally choose the words, “As long as you live, spring will come.”

  There is a Japanese proverb that says, “If you don't plant in spring, you won't bear fruit in autumn.” It literally signifies that without sowing seeds or seedlings in the spring, there will be no harvest in the fall, which underscores the importance of taking action and making preparations in advance. Another saying emphasizes that success requires “80% preparation and 20% execution.” Both adages stress the significance of thorough preparation. When you have a specific target date, preparing in advance becomes a race against time to some extent. Conversely, if you are not ready to face the actual challenge or lack a target date, you might end up wasting time preparing excessively. Therefore, it is crucial to set clear goals that enable you to tackle challenges confidently. Furthermore, it is important to remain vigilant for opportunities to take on challenges. Keeping an open mind and being receptive to new possibilities can lead to growth and success.

  Even ordinary people can achieve great feats if they focus on something and continue to do it, as the Japanese proverb says, "Even dust, when piled up, becomes a mountain" (Many a little makes a mickle or Every little bit helps). For a simple and familiar example, even if we don't have the skills of a professional mountain climber, if we focus our minds and energy on climbing a relatively gentle mountain path step by step, we will often be surprised at how high we have climbed after a few hours. Additionally, as the Japanese saying goes, "Being fond of something makes one skilled at it" or "Love is what makes you good at something" (Practice makes perfect). If the proverbial "dust" in the former is something that we "like," even ordinary people can acquire knowledge and skills if they continue to do it for many years. It is possible. Of course, the time we have to do what we like in our daily life is limited, and it's importan