Keep On Flowing

I’ve had the fortune to witness it many times—the wonder in her eyes.  It’s an outpouring of joy, like a child discovering the world for the very first time.  The purest of emotions: like fireworks, it lights up the sky and shines over what has gone dark in us.  Every time I see it, I can’t help but wonder: when did I lose mine? It’s that exact kind of excitement that disappears as we age, without us noticing. Our minds become saddled with preoccupations, and our hearts beat without the same kind of intensity. We are covered in the snow of cynicism and the ice of pessimism. And here you are—a gentle, warm light that shines through the clouds. Whatever it is you see, it’s a reflection of your heart. Don’t ever change. Because you are a blessing to me and a wonder to the world.

一年间里的各种感受都记在了iPhone的Notes里，有些一直没舍得删。 今天按照时间顺序整理后作为记录留下来。 2025-04-07 开心吗？有趣吗？有意思吗？有帮助到谁吗？ 2025-05-27 转念之间，这个世界已经不一样了，你看到的世界也不一样。 2025-06-25 有时候会觉得现在的生活很没劲。自己也感觉的到为什么。就是现在大部分醒着的时间和精力都是集中在如何把接下来的生活变得更好，而无法，并且已经忘记，也不知道如何感受并且对眼前的生活知足，满足。 一直在奔跑却忘记了怎么停下来，不敢停下来，但不停的跑真的就会很累，会感觉现在的自己是死掉的。因为没有活在当下。 有什么可以让自己笑起来？ 有什么可以让自己其实高昂？ 有什么可以让自己对每一天的生活充满能力，对接下来的生活充满期望，全力以赴每一天？ 想一想上一次是这样，还是因为有了间隔年，有了想出行的念头。或者是想要让自己的日文能力达到可以和他们交流的水平。为了达成自己心中的目的地，如痴如醉的去做所有可以的做的事情，不感觉累。 我需要下一个大的目标。一个人生之山上的下一站。它也不是终点，但将是我攀爬的下一个目的地。可以让我在旅途中享受当下，享受攀爬过程的一个值得付出的瞭望台。 从30最尾意识到自己一直在赶，不敢停，不知道怎么自爱。所以我从现在开始，想要学习怎样放慢脚步，生活的脚步，放慢自己的心，放平，放下自己。慢慢的走，慢慢的，满满的读，满满的品味。这是个非常反着常年习惯的一个练习。甚至不知道如何开始，但冥冥之中就感觉到自己需要减速，需要慢下来才能找到平衡，身体和心情才能不那么僵。希望不仅仅可以做到少担心，希望可以多笑起来。 2025-07-09 关于 断舍离 判断要不要扔的时候会让你真正问自己，到底重不重要，什么是重要的，为什么不敢扔，为什么扔不掉 让自己重新看到很多没有看到的角落和东西，让你想起这些物品来自哪里，承载了什么故事，对于你有什么意义 东西变的越少，心里也觉得越轻盈。自己并不需要太多东西。大部分的都是身外之后，放手之后就是重新获得 学会放手，放开，让自己更加自由 2025-07-22 关于 感受当下 放松 感受 的关系 身体和心在感到渐渐放松的时候，对当下的感受就越清晰，越被放大，像一张模糊的黑白照片慢慢的对上了聚焦，而且渐渐的变得有色彩，那感觉非常妙。 但是能有所体验是因为身心感到满满的放松才做...

  Part I: The Detour Reflecting on the path that led here Today, our landlord’s cat, Chino, passed away. Chino’s passing away spurred some thoughts that I wanted to share. To make sense of them, I have to rewind the clock to when we lived in Japan between 2018 and 2022. It started when I learned about the FIRE movement. I was probably 25 or 26. My dream job of being a CIR on the JET program had been cut short due to a lack of funding , and I ended up taking an ALT position—a role I had consciously avoided when I first applied. I was living in a teacher’s apartment in Fukuoka. It was a time when I was growing increasingly dissatisfied with my ALT job and increasingly anxious about my post-JET job prospects in Japan. It was during that period that I read about what FIRE was about.   The idea of not having to work full-time for another 30-40 years was certainly appealing, but what really got my attention was the liberty it granted; The ability to chose, to be able to yes/no to th...