Lately, I have often found myself unable to hold on to a sense of bright hope for the future.
There are still many responsibilities placed upon me—tasks I am expected to carry through.
I should be able to wish for their success, even to imagine it. And yet, that image does not come easily.
I had thought this might simply be due to age rather than pressure, but I have begun to realize that it is not just that.
It may well be shaped by the world we are living in—conflicts and wars unfolding across the globe, rapid environmental changes, and the gradual contraction of Japan under the weight of a declining and aging population.
Even if one lives an ordinary life, reality can overturn everything without warning, far beyond one’s own control.
What once seemed like solid foundations—such as energy and other basic systems—are in fact built on fragile ground.
And on top of that comes the stagnation of the Japanese economy.
If the days of prosperity are now called a thing of the past, perhaps that is true.
I do not believe I am clinging to them, yet somehow I find myself affected by them, my spirit worn down.
This is not unique to Japan. To varying degrees, people around the world may be feeling something similar.
Nothing will change simply by recognizing this, and time will not turn back.
So the question remains:
Do we continue living with a heart on the verge of breaking, or do we somehow try to rebuild it?
Of course, I want to rebuild.
But I cannot yet see clearly what I should rely on, or how to begin.
For now, I would like to begin simply by reconnecting with those close to me, and sharing something of the heart.
