the path to the message : November 13 2024

it is a wednesday and i walked. i was not even planning to, but i did. my chest muscles were still aching and so i bailed on a gym day. and i was glad i did walk.

it was not the site nor scene which touched my heart. i mean, of course those mattered too. walking would be a bit boring if i saw nothing. and that would be too hard to share as an entry. but this is what amazingly inspired me that night.

i was busy walking fast, i wanted to walk at a faster pace for health purposes. then this message struck me.

the message

i don't know in what direction it should be read, the message would still be the same. but here, i am just following the usual order japanese vertical texts are read, from right to left.

頭は低く　atama wa(ha) hikuku <- lower ones head
目は高く　me wa(ha) takaku <- eyes up high
心は広く　kokoro wa(ha) hiroku <- be open-minded (literally "widen ones heart")

i really don't know who or what the message is for. there was nothing else written on the board but this is a perfect message.

頭は低く

atama wa(ha) hikuku

i don't think it meant to physically lower your head, but rather to be humble. humility for me is to not gloat in times of successes, and to take accountability when in the wrong. keep your feet on the ground, they say. be grounded. celebrate your wins without lowering others, this may be hard and easily borders with patronization and condescension. eliminate that superiority complex you have and accept that you can also be wrong. no one is perfect after all. and there is really no need to minimize what others do, it does not make you succeed more.

i'm probably over interpreting it, but i guess it can also mean that you appreciate where you have been and how far you have come. no matter how high you have reached, never forget to look back at the ground at where you were from. this will teach you to be more grateful. i would not have seen this pattern of leaves if i did not lower my head.

目は高く

me wa(ha) takaku

eyes up! keep your eyes on the goal! dream high, aim high! keep on fighting and never give up. what more can i say? you completely lose the moment you give up, so just keep fighting.

it can also possibly mean to look for a role model way up there, emulate how they did in their life, and try to apply those in your own. it may not always work for your case, each individual lives a different life after all. but at least you know that that method may work.

in addition, now that i think more of it, this may also mean to always strive to be positive. look at each failure as a learning point. be the higher person and understand more when in conflict.

am i pushing it much? i don't know, but i would not have seen that beautiful sky if i didn't look up.

心は広く

kokoro wa(ha) hiroku

the japanese language already did the work for me, it is a japanese phrase after all. when you widen your heart, that means that you open your mind. your views are not the only view, your thoughts and ideas are not the only way. be open to criticisms, some ideas may be better than yours. be open to the fact that your life is different to others; others have different realities than yours. it is only when you are open minded that you become more understanding and less angry and less stressed.

try something new, you might be surprised to find a new hobby or a new favorite from those. the earth is so wide, i am sure there are still so many things you have not tried doing.

their was a shoot for something when i was at this part of the park. probably that was my calling to be an actor. could i be an actor? never too late! and i'll never say no.

the conclusion

those three phrases kept running on my head as i was walking. somehow, i was already figuring out what to write on my entry for the day. then this shrine gate came to view, and an "aha" moment came. those three phrases will help on your path to enlightenment and self actualization! that must be it.

then it lead me to milk. all those walking and thinking lead me to milk.

as always, AMPING KANUNAY!

_{all content is by yours truly unless otherwise specified}

^{all photos are taken with a galaxy s23 ultra}

This report was published via Actifit app (Android | iOS). Check out the original version here on actifit.io

13/11/2024

13291

Daily Activity, Photowalking, Walking

Height 168.0 cm		Weight 72.2 kg		Body Fat 20 %
Waist cm		Thighs cm		Chest cm