Talent Is Found by Those Who Can See It — Reflections on The Great Passage — July 18, 2026 (Saturday) Reiw8

Today, while reading The Great Passage by Shion Miura, I came across a scene that left a lasting impression on me.

The protagonist, Mitsuya Majime, was an employee in the sales department whose existence was barely noticed. His supervisor reacted with something like, "Oh, right... I forgot he was here." Majime himself had never imagined that anyone would recognize his abilities.

But Araki from the dictionary editorial department saw something different.

He recognized Majime's extraordinary sensitivity to words and his remarkable ability to examine one subject with great depth. Araki became convinced that Majime was exactly the kind of person needed to create a dictionary.

At the welcome party, someone asked Majime about his hobby.

His answer was, "Watching people ride escalators."

Most people would probably think that was an unusual response.

Majime found beauty in the way complete strangers, without anyone giving instructions, naturally formed orderly lines and moved together in harmony.

At first, I also thought, "What an unusual person."

However, as I continued reading, I realized that this unique way of seeing the world was exactly what makes an excellent dictionary editor. The ability to discover patterns and meaning in things that most people simply overlook is essential for collecting, organizing, and defining words.

A man who was overlooked in the sales department became someone who truly shined in the dictionary editorial department.

The truth was not that he lacked talent.

Rather, he had simply never met someone who could recognize it.

Perhaps having an eye for people does not mean judging only what they can do today. It means recognizing the place where they can make the greatest use of their unique abilities.

As I read The Great Passage, I found myself hoping that I, too, can learn to see beyond appearances and recognize the unique strengths and hidden potential within each person.

#Reading #TheGreatPassage #ShionMiura #BookReview #Talent #RightPersonRightPlace #HumanPotential #Reflection