BLOG

When carrying out a plan or working through daily challenges and chores, it is important to not give up and continue to move forward.  Doing an overseas move is complicated, and sometimes can be difficult, but key points are to be patient and positive until it is finished.  In the West there is a saying "Where there's a will, there's a way".  In Japan, when earthquakes or typhoons cause damage and things must be rebuilt, Japanese people have to work steadily and continuously to fix and make life normal again.  There is an old 諺 (KOTWAZA), or proverb/saying which goes as follows: 雨だれ石を穿つ (AMA-DA-RE ISHI WO UGATSU).  雨だれ/AMA-DA-RE = "rain drops" ... 石/ISHI = "stone/rock" ... 穿つ/UGATSU = "to drill or pierce".  Taken together the Japanese characters read something like: "Raindrops can pierce a stone", and the meaning is that over time, even small drops of water can wear away a rock -- so, similarly, it is important to continue steadily with tasks and work through problems.  Patience is also required, and there is a Japanese KOTOWAZA which goes as follows: 堪忍は一生の宝 (KANNIN WA ISSHO NO TAKARA). 堪忍/KANNIN = patience or endurance ... 一生/ISSHO = lifelong ... 宝/TAKARA = treasure.  The meaning of this maxim is "Patience is a lifelong treasure".  Not only in Japan, but all around the world, the value of being patient and slow-but-steady working is a commonly understood -- not always easy to do, but it is a good attitude & habit which can be developed over time.