Author: kamys

Adjustment for the “with corona” era

Photo by Kristien Ziska

In the last three years, my ikebana class has been mainly online, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The silver lining is now I have students not only out of state but out of the country.

There is no comparison, however, to appreciate everybody’s arrangement in three dimensions.   

Fran’s Chocolates in the Georgetown neighborhood in Seattle is where my ikebana class used to be held.  And my in-person class will reopen next March!  Fran’s reopened the retail part this year, and next year they are ready to host events in the café. 

The full drink service is not back yet, and a mask is required during the class.  We are not quite back to pre-pandemic life.  Somebody said now we are living in an era “with corona.” 

We, humans, are also part of nature.  Just like COVID-19 virus, we should also adapt to new situations.  In-person Ikebana class in the “with corona” era… I very much look forward to it!   

The Pandemic proved humans are also vulnerable creatures

Photo by Lê Tân on Unsplash Photo by Lê Tân on Unsplash

There are two schools of thought about the human being and the worldview.

One is to place the human being apart from and above nature and to regard everything else on the earth as resources to be exploited by the human being. 

The other is to place the human being equal to any other life form as part of nature and to seek harmonious existence with everything else on the earth. 

…

In the last couple of centuries, mainly led by the Western societies, the first school of thought has been the dominant driving force in the world.  With the Industrial Revolution and the technological advancements that followed, humans have achieved an unprecedented rise in population as well as improved the comfort and convenience of their lifestyle.

The world population has increased 7-fold over the course of the last two centuries.  The UN projected that we hit the mark of 8 billion in November this year.  In the name of economic growth, humans have been exploiting nature by extracting substances from it as resources, turning it into products to be consumed and wastes to be abandoned. 

While humans have thrived in the world, we have paid little attention to the outcome of our exploitation, destroying the living environment of all the other life forms. 

Between 1970 and 2016 showed an average of 68% decrease in population sizes of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish(WWF).  The average abundance of native species in most major land-based habitats has fallen by at least 20%, mostly since 1900. More than 40% of amphibian species, almost 33% of reef-forming corals, and more than a third of all marine mammals are threatened (IPBES).

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that human being, however powerful we might appear, is actually vulnerable species that can be killed amass by the virus, such tiny existence that cannot even be seen with the naked eye. 

Without oxygen that trees and plants exhale, without food and water that the earth produces, humans cannot survive.  Once dead, our bodies go back to the soil, no different than any other form of life. 

Only faced with this harsh experience do we realize that the first school of thought is not even viable but only an illusion.  We human beings are, not separate from, but only part of nature. 

In order for human beings to thrive for generations to come, we must make a fundamental shift in our lives to seek harmonious existence with everything else on the earth.

A reflective time getting ready for the new year

Photo by Niketh Vellanki on Unsplash

Everybody on Medium spends so much time writing their articles.  Time is the most precious thing in life.  Why do they write? 

Everybody on Medium also expects many people to spend their precious time reading their articles.  Why do they read?

As this year is coming to an end, I decided to spend some time asking myself this question seriously.  The clearer I am about why I write, the stronger my motivation should be to keep on writing the next year as well as have people read my writings. 

Let me explore using what is called Five Whys method. 

Why do I write?

Because I want to introduce Japan’s traditional culture to people in the modern world.

Why?

Because I believe Japan’s traditional culture holds something of value that is different from what people in the modern world are used to.

Why?

Because many people in the modern world now have doubts about the way they have lived for a long time and have started seeking alternatives to their way of living.

Why?

Because many people are concerned that they are heading in the wrong direction if they continue their way of living.

Why?

Because many people in the modern world feel that their way of living is making their environment (both ecological and social) detrimental to them, not better.

I’m one of the people who live in the modern world.

As a person living in the modern world, I have long believed that economic growth will lead to the prosperity and happiness of the people in the world.

However, I’m concerned that our current way of living is leading to ecological and social perils, not for the better.  I’m now seeking if there is an alternative. 

Japan’s traditional culture, some I’m familiar with, some are totally new to me, might give us hints for an alternative way of life that is not detrimental to our lives.  It’s worth taking a significant portion of my time exploring it. 

If you have a similar concern about the way we live currently and are seeking alternatives, I hope you follow what I write.  I also welcome your thoughts on the comment. 

“Thank you”

Photo by Courtney Hedger on Unsplash

It’s quiet on Christmas day morning.  Did you have a nice party last night?

My husband started the day with the following conversations.

“Thank you for starting the coffee machine.”

“Thank you for taking out my coffee mug.”

“Thank you for starting the fireplace.  It’s warm!”

“Thank you for cleaning the dishes last night.” 

I felt good about our choice of the words.  I would like to expand to you.

Thank you for reading my article. 

Thank you for being you.

The icy road has taught me the power of nature.

Photo by max fuchs on Unsplash

The whole US was significantly affected by the winter storm right before Christmas.  Many flights were canceled, and a lot of people lost power. 

Normally Seattle has relatively mild weather, but the city was also covered with snow.  In our neighborhood, after the snow turned to drizzle for a while, the surface of the snow became shiny ice, due to the unusually low temperatures that followed.  The main roads were salted and sanded so that buses could run, but the street in front of our house was as slippery as an ice-skating rink.

 I really wanted to go shopping, so I first sprinkled salt on the driveway, waited a couple of hours, and started breaking the thin but hard layer of ice with a shovel.  The outside was biting cold, but soon I was sweating from the labor. 

I managed to clear ice on the two tracks where the tires of my car would follow.  I was able to get my car out of the garage and the driveway, but the moment I hit the street, my car slid sideways. 

It was less than 30 yards or so from my house to the salted, cleared bus route. I tried and tried to move my car forward.  I let my car running for a while, hoping the ice underneath would melt.  No luck.  After wasting gas and polluting the air in vain, I gave up.  I managed to slide my car to the shoulder and parked there overnight. 

When I woke up the next morning, it was raining pretty hard.  The temperature was well above freezing point. The air was no more biting me. 

The layer of ice on the street that disabled me from driving was… all gone.  No trace of it. 

Who am I to think that I’m capable of fighting against nature?  All I had to do was to be patient for several hours.  The forecast was saying it would get warmer starting the following day.

While driving to the grocery store in the rain the next day, I was comparing the nice grip of the tires with the lost control on the ice the night before. What a vulnerable existence I am compared to almighty nature, was my realization.

In response to Dancing Elephants prompt 12 of 52

Photo by asap rocky on Unsplash

It was my husband’s birthday yesterday.  We went to a nearby Italian restaurant for a celebration. 

This morning, I’m recalling the time we spent together yesterday, as well as our first date over 28 years ago.

On our first date, my focus was all on him.  What kind of person is he?  Where is he going to take me?  What drink does he like?  Does he like what I’m wearing?  I was trying to find every sparkle between us.  He looked to be doing the same.  

Yesterday’s main conversation was not about us.  My husband got a message from the daughter of his best friend.  Now she lives in Toronto working but is back in Seattle for Christmas.  She was asking if we could get together for lunch before she heads back to Toronto.  “When is a good time for you?” he asked. “What about 26^th?” I replied.  “Oh, yeah.  That’ll work.  I will respond to her.” 

My husband’s best friend, whom he had known before I met him, became our closest family friend.  The friend’s daughter became like our own niece.  Unfortunately, the friend passed away a couple of years ago, but our friendship is kept alive. 

Over the 28 years, my husband and I accumulated mutual experiences.  We met new people together, explored new places together, and faced new challenges together.  Of course, we have many disagreements, and we argue a lot.  We are still two distinct individuals. But the overlapping part of his and my experience has become larger. 

And this overlapping part is becoming my treasure.  How much larger will it become? To be continued…