Freedom Within a Form: What Becomes Visible Inside the Frame
I often find myself thinking, "I want to be free."
To be unbound, to act as I please,
to move with lightness—that would be nice.
But recently, I noticed a slightly different feeling.
┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
A state where nothing is decided
may look very free at first glance,
but once you are actually in it,
you might not know where to start,
or your thoughts might become scattered,
making you unable to move at all.
On the other hand,
when there is a certain "form" or structure,
you can move with peace of mind within it,
and you can focus your senses more clearly.
I have felt that kind of sensation.
┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
What triggered this realization
was Stand.fm.
When I stopped my daily broadcasts
and spent some time living freely,
"What should I talk about today?"
"Is it okay to talk about this?"
I ended up overthinking things like that,
and ironically, the words stopped coming out.
┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
So,
I decided to set a little bit of structure.
Just by placing a small form,
mysteriously, the words began to flow naturally,
and I felt that perhaps
this way suits me better.
┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
Another thing that came to mind is Ikebana.
Ikebana also has forms.
Within that,
which flowers to choose,
at what angle to display them—
it is precisely because you are within a set frame
that small differences and one's own individuality emerge.
Feeling the person who arranged the flowers through the flowers themselves
is also a joyful moment.
┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
And perhaps
the same is true for words.
Like in Tanka or Haiku,
within a limited form,
stripping away unnecessary words
and expressing yourself within those bounds.
It is precisely because there are restrictions
that each and every word stands out.
Just because you line up an endless amount of words
does not mean you are conveying your message;
rather, it may be that it is in what you strip away
that something truly reaches the other person.
┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
The freedom that becomes visible
because there is a frame—
I believe such a thing certainly exists.
Among the many frameworks available,
which form to choose,
what kind of form to create—
choosing that for myself.
That is freedom to me,
and I feel it is also, in a way,
a way of being that brings me peace of mind.
