Ghosts and Lovers

In a conversation with someone, the topic of a "person with whom you can safely talk about anything you are thinking" came up. The existence of someone you don't have to worry about at all—wondering what they would think if you said this, if you would be rejected, if you would be called strange, or if you would be looked down upon...

Some people may have met such a person in the past, and if the face of a close friend or partner currently in your life comes to mind immediately, then congratulations. Such relationships are truly hard to come by, and they are classified as one of the most precious things in this world for human beings.

However, there are also people who have never seen that yet. I don't think there are that many people who feel that this world is very peaceful and full of warmth, so I suspect this accounts for a fair percentage of all humans living in this world. Many people still do not know what true love is.

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For example, if there is a young person who wants to become a professional musician, it is a fact that the probability of actually becoming one is quite low. Just because you believe in it doesn't mean you will definitely become one. But, assuming the person does not truly believe from the heart that "I can do it," is it even possible for that person to really become a professional?

Just because you make an effort doesn't mean you will succeed, but it is impossible to succeed without making an effort. And so, is it possible to seriously make an effort for something you don't even believe in yourself? Is there anyone like that?

And that brings us to the topic of human relationships at the beginning. Human relationships are made up of a chain of reciprocation, so there is an aspect where if you treat the other person with care, they will treat you with care in return. But of course, that is not always the case; in fact, it often doesn't come back. Who you fall in love with is something you decide yourself, so even if you unilaterally direct affection toward someone who isn't interested, you can't say that it should be returned. That is true.

In such a situation, I think it is difficult to be kind to people or to be thoroughly tolerant unless you believe that there are people who will properly reciprocate. If you were always suspicious, thinking that the other person would betray you or exploit your goodwill, you could never do such things.

If that is the case, what should people who have not yet seen such good people, or who cannot yet believe in their existence, do? Being told to believe in something you have never seen is like being told to believe that ghosts exist.

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In order to have a certain experience for the first time, you need to have already experienced it. It reminds me of the idea of "whether you can lift yourself into the air by grabbing your own shoelaces." The so-called bootstrap problem.

In my experience, I feel that the only breakthrough is the coincidence in this world where "even though I don't know it, someone who happens to know it appears before my eyes like a miracle and gives it to me for free." It means that you cannot do anything about it by your own power.

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I do not believe in ghosts. I have never seen such a thing, and I don't think there is any reason for them to exist other than "other people have been saying so since long ago." There is a joke like this.

If ghosts exist and appear in spirit photographs, it would be strange if they didn't appear with the same frequency not only in parts that are easy for humans to recognize, like faces and hands, but also in states like a bare navel or back, or even parts that are clearly inappropriate if they were to be captured.

I think so too. So perhaps, real ghosts do not exist.

As for love, I barely believe in it because I have seen it.

(essay 1 - 2024.6.24)

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