Compass for 'How to Live' Vol. 129
Individuality
Hello everyone! This is paper counselor Yoshiyuki.
It has been a while since I posted a new article for the 'Compass for How to Live' series. (*´艸｀)
This time, the topic is about individuality.
Everyone has their own sense of individuality.
It goes without saying, of course.
It is also natural that this individuality varies from person to person, as there are as many types of people as there are people.
In such a world, there are times when we feel negatively about others, thinking, 'That person is no good,' or 'I can't believe they think that way.'
Of course, there are times when someone is clearly in the wrong, both socially and morally.
However, in our daily lives, it is not uncommon for us to view others with a negative eye even when it is not a significant issue.
So, how is this individuality formed?
You know, living one's life might be like sailing a small boat through the rough seas of life toward a destination.
On that voyage, there are calm seas and there are times of great storms...
Because people are sensitive to negative things, we are creatures who feel that the seas are rougher than they actually are.
Rough seas...
Perhaps it could be rephrased as a life that feels like it rarely offers fulfillment.
Because we feel unfulfilled, what can we do to satisfy ourselves?
Perhaps we search for what skills to acquire in order to safely navigate through this difficult voyage.
Isn't that how our individuality is formed?
There are no textbooks for it, and perhaps no one can tell us the correct answer.
Also, there are often many cases where there isn't just one correct answer.
There are many different kinds of people in the world.
There are people so wonderful that you want to applaud them.
There are also people you think, 'I'm so glad you managed to recover this far!'
Many people gather around such individuals, and they are able to build good human relationships.
On the other hand, there are people whose own boats are about to sink, so they sneak onto someone else's boat to steal it, or tear off parts of others' boats to make their own stronger and bigger.
Such people are generally thought of as 'bad people.'
But in reality, they might just be trying to obtain the skills to overcome the rough seas of life in a slightly distorted way.
I certainly think there is a problem with their methods.
But if you set aside the right or wrong of their methods, they might just be trying to protect themselves.
You are so busy trying to keep your ship from sinking that you don't even have the time to think about where your destination is.
It might feel like you just have to do whatever it takes to keep the ship from going under.
That was a bit extreme, but as we navigate the rough seas of life, our sense of self begins to take shape; it is something that is nurtured while everyone is doing their absolute best.
They might be a little off track, or there might be times when you think they should do things differently.
But I think that for the person themselves, there are times when they have managed to get by while going through a great deal of pain.
If someone were to cut them down by saying 'It's your fault' without understanding that background, how do you think that person would feel?
'It must have been hard, it must have been painful, it must have been tough... Shall we think about how to handle this together?'
With just those words, you might be able to help that person, though there may be some who cannot be helped.
If you can discern that while respecting the other person's individuality and staying close to their heart, I truly believe that both they and you will lead a 'better life'.
At the very least, perhaps it is better not to simply dismiss others.
After all, that 'individuality' is something they have acquired while doing their best to live their life.
This time, we talked about individuality.
Thank you for staying with me until the end.
We have received some 'happy news!'
We are grateful for everyone's warm support.
Thank you all so much, as always!
