Before I knew it,
I had been criticizing everything in my mind
what I saw, what I heard, the news, social media,
people and events from my memories…
Always in my mind,
I would take a one-sided stance
against someone or something, and criticize.
I grew tired of that version of myself,
and eventually,
I began criticizing myself too.
I was exhausted to my core.
“I’m going to stop.”
That’s what I thought.
On this Earth,
there are more people than we could ever meet
in a lifetime.
Each person is living with their own challenges.
The things we are here to learn,
the stages we are at,
and the ways we learn
are all different.
And yet, all of us are living
on this one shared planet.
What a mysterious world this is.
Something that means nothing to me
may hold deep meaning for someone else.
Something that does not interest me at all
may be deeply important to someone else.
And the same is true in reverse.
Because each of us is living
within our own world,
to judge someone or something
from the perspective of my own world
is completely beside the point
and ultimately meaningless.
Only now do I see it.
I want to respect
each person’s way of living,
and each person’s pace.
To put it bluntly,
their struggles are part of their learning
and their growth.
I must not interfere with those important lessons
just because I think I am helping.
That’s what I’ve come to believe.
Of course,
this does not mean abandoning anyone
or turning my back on them.
With the quiet certainty and trust
that they will be okay,
I will love them and watch over them.
I will stay gently by their side.
And when they need it,
I will lend a hand.
Happiness is the same.
It is different for each person.
Even if I impose my own idea of happiness
from my own perspective,
it may be nothing but a burden
to someone else.
Each person has their own happiness.
And that is only natural.
Then,
what truly matters,
what truly holds value
for my life—for my very being?
How do I want to live
so that I can feel fulfilled
with the life I have been given?
There are times
when I find myself caring about
how others evaluate me
or how they respond to me.
But we are not here
to live for the approval of others.
We were born
to live a life
that holds meaning and value
for ourselves.
My passion will not reach everyone.
It only needs to reach
the people who are ready to receive it.
It only needs to resonate
with those who can hear it.
One day,
I accidentally dropped and broke
a beloved plate
that I had used and cherished for years.
That same day,
a beautiful glass ornament
that I had treasured
fell and shattered.
Ah…
perhaps I had finally let go
of the way of being critical
that I had grown so accustomed to,
and let go of my attachment
to what other people might think of me.
For the first time,
I felt that I had truly let go.
I will move forward
toward the goals that hold value for me.
One step at a time or even half a step
is enough.
I will keep moving forward.
Because this is my life,
I will live it for myself.
To make the world I see
more and more filled with happiness,
I will live
with strength.
