Saturday, January 10, 2015

Putting in time and effort

When something is important enough, we will put in time and effort for it.

I really want to improve in my taiji, so I put a lot of time and effort into it.

I also want to improve in my calligraphy (but not as much as taiji), which is why I do put in time and effort into it, but not as much.

I don't really care if I can get better at Korean... that explains why I don't really think too much about it.

With only 24 hours in a day, we all need to ask ourselves, what is important for us. Because that is really how we allocate our time.

Discharging my responsibility at work is important for me. Because I am a person who values responsibility. That is why I work so hard too.

My family is important to me. That is why I spend time and effort on them too.

With only 24 hours in a day... the time and effort must go to the important things. Things that mean something to me. They may be small, they may not have any financial or commercial value, but they have value to me. Like family, friends, hobbies.

Life is for living. And what is living if we are not doing the things that really matter to us?

Monday, January 05, 2015

Winter break 2014

Just got back from my winter break, which was spent in Japan.

It was a working holiday... with time spent cleaning my in-laws place, looking after the kids (mine and my sister-in-law's) and practising calligraphy.

But I got great views of Mount Fuji from my in-law's place.

And great food... high quality wagyu at the nearby yakiniku restaurant.

Also paid a visit to the nearby temple (Kashima Shrine) right after midnight on New Year's Day. We usually go in the afternoon, but this year, made the effort to go in the freezing weather at right after midnight.

And the usual visit to another temple, Kawasaki Taishi. To pray for a good year ahead, and to eat the good food sold by the street stalls there.

And guess what? It snowed on New Year's Day in Yokohoma! First time in 17 years that I have seen it snow in Yokohoma on 1 January.

Here's me redoing the rice paper screens.

Washing the sliding doors (in freezing cold weather...)

Bringing the kids out for lunch and a movie (while their mothers are out with friends).

What better way to spend the holidays?