People who can rest properly are surprisingly strong.

"You should take a break."

When told that,
not everyone can simply rest.

Even though they are actually tired,
the harder people push themselves,
the more they feel guilty about resting for some reason.


The more serious a person is,
the worse they are at letting themselves rest.

"If I step away, it will cause trouble for others."
"If I rest here, I'm just being soft."
"If I just push a little harder, I can manage."

That is how,
they always end up putting themselves last.

I, too, used to be
very bad at resting.

Even when I felt unwell,
or when my spirits were low,

"I can still keep going."
"I'm fine with this much."

That is how,
I kept working while telling myself that.

Thinking back on it now,
it might not have been a sense of responsibility,
but simply that I didn't know how to rest.


People who are used to working hard
feel guilty about stopping.

They feel restless when they have nothing to do.
They feel anxious without a schedule.
Even though they are supposed to be resting, their hearts cannot find peace.

Even if their bodies have stopped,
their minds keep working.

Therefore,
they are not resting in the true sense.

When I was young,
I thought being able to work without resting was a sign of strength.

Staying later than anyone else,
taking on more than anyone else,
getting results before anyone else.

I thought that way of living
was cool.

But as I grew older, I understood.

I think truly strong people
are those who can rest properly.

People who can notice before they push themselves too far.
People who can stop before they break.
People who can ask for help.

That is,
much harder.

After I fell ill,
I finally learned the meaning of resting.

Resting is
not being lazy.

Resting is,
I believe, preparation to live again.

Time spent doing nothing
can sometimes help settle the heart.

Time that looks like a detour
can sometimes protect you.

The old me
didn't understand that.

I thought if I stopped, I would lose.

But in reality, it was the opposite.

Not being able to stop
was much more dangerous.

People who work too hard
are kind to others,
but surprisingly harsh on themselves.

To others, they can say

"Don't push yourself too hard,"

but to themselves,

they say

"Try a little harder."

But the person who needs the most care

might, surprisingly, be yourself.
Resting is not running away.

Resting is

not giving up either.
Resting is

something necessary to keep on living.
So if right now,

you feel a little tired,

you feel worn out,
you don't want to do anything,
if you are thinking that,

it is not laziness,

but perhaps a sign your heart is sending out.
People who can rest properly

are surprisingly strong.
People who know their own limits.

People who can protect their own hearts.
People who do not keep pushing themselves.
That,

I believe, is not weakness,
but a quiet strength.
Sometimes,

before you try to work hard,
I want you to let yourself rest.

I believe only those who can cherish themselves

can live a long and gentle life.