A gaze that does not rush 'me'

Recently.
I have been spending more time facing myself than before.

In the midst of that, a phrase suddenly descended upon me.

It is the one I used as the title of this article,

A gaze that does not rush 'me'

.

When I encountered these words, for some reason, I felt like exhaling deeply.

Try harder.
Faster.
Move forward.

Without realizing it, we are living in a society that changes at a tremendous speed.

If you open social media, you see someone's achievements.
If you walk through the city, 'efficiency' and 'growth' are lined up as if they are the norm.

There are days when I find myself tensing up without knowing it, thinking I must do things properly so I don't get left behind.

But, in truth.

Even if there are days when you stop for a while,
even if there are days when you can't find the right words,
even if there are nights when you go to sleep without finding an answer,

I think that is perfectly fine.

Because just having someone tell you, 'It's okay to stay as you are for now,' might help you catch your breath a little.

Also, what I felt once again is,

that kindness isn't just about 'guiding someone correctly'.

Do not rush the pace.
Do not ask them to become 'someone else'.
Stay gently by their side until they can return to their own rhythm of breathing.

I feel that I, too, have been saved many times by such warmth.

That is why I hope this place can be more than just a place to keep working hard,
but a place where, when you are tired, you can set down your burdens for a while and remember your own pace again.

If we could hold a gaze that does not rush each individual 'self,' what kind of world could we go to see?

I am sure it would be a happy world.

It may sound like empty idealism,
and it might not be a realistic story,
but I cannot help but envision such a future.

Seeking peaceful times, I continue to walk on today.

...

A story about how, when I raised the temperature of my daily life just a little bit,
the colors of the world I see changed just a little.

Warming up everyday life by +1°C, making it cozy and warm.

I would be happy if this place could help you with such moments.