LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #50. What I Talk About When I Talk about Running (authored by Murakami Haruki)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films, listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#50. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running: A Memoir (authored by Haruki Murakami)

This book offers a personal exploration of writing and running, and the remarkable ways they connect, from acclaimed bestselling author Haruki Murakami. It is a memoir in which Murakami reflects on his dual passions for long-distance running and writing. He shares insights from his marathon training and explains how the discipline of running has influenced his creative journey of writing since he began in 1982. Blending elements of a training journal, travel narrative, and introspective essay, the book recounts his racing experiences, his choice to pursue writing, and his thoughts on endurance, pain, and solitude.

 

“Forgive me for stating the obvious, but the world is made up of all kinds of people. Other people have their own values to live by, and the same holds true with me. These differences give rise to disagreements, and the combination of these disagreements can give rise to even greater misunderstandings. As a result, sometimes people are unfairly criticized. This goes without saying. It’s not much fun to be misunderstood or criticized, but rather a painful experience that hurts people deeply.”

ð     Murakami suggests that since each person holds distinct values and viewpoints, tension and miscommunication are bound to occur. He explains that the characteristics that make someone unique —such as his own way of seeing scenes or experiencing emotions — enable him to produce original work. At the same time, these differences can invite criticism and cause emotional pain.

Although he recognizes that being misunderstood can be difficult, he ultimately views this “emotional pain” as something valuable. It affirms his identity as an independent individual rather than a mere imitation of others. His central realization is that instead of avoiding criticism, he embraces it as the necessary “cost” of preserving independence and sustaining a voice that is entirely his own as a creative author.

 

“When I’m criticized unjustly (from my viewpoint, at least) or when someone I’m sure will understand me doesn’t, I go running for a little longer than usual. By running longer it’s like I can physically exhaust that portion of my discontent. It also makes me realize again how weak I am, how limited my abilities are. I become aware, physically, of these low points. And one of the results of running a little farther than usual is that I become that much stronger. If I’m angry, I direct that anger toward myself. If I have a frustrating experience, I use that to improve myself. That’s the way I’ve always lived. I quietly absorb the things I’m able to, releasing them later, and in as changed a form as possible, as part of the story in a novel.”

ð     Haruki believes in using physical endurance as a way to process his emotional struggles, deepen self-understanding, and inspire creative work. For him, running is not merely exercise but a solitary, therapeutic, and transformative practice. That is, he turns to running as a method for coping with unfair criticism or misunderstanding that happens to him. By pushing himself to run longer than usual, he channels emotional strain into physical exhaustion, effectively converting inner tension into bodily fatigue. Extended and demanding runs compel him to confront his physical boundaries and acknowledge his weaknesses. Recognizing these moments of struggle strengthens him not only physically but also mentally and emotionally.

Rather than expressing frustration outwardly, he internalizes it and uses it as motivation for self-improvement. This reflects a thoughtful and disciplined approach to growth rather than an impulsive reaction. As he explains, he quietly takes in his experiences and later releases them in altered forms through his writing. In this way, difficult emotions and events become material for his fiction. This idea aligns with his broader philosophy that emotional pain is the cost of independence. Running becomes his personal method for navigating life on his own terms and preserving his individuality.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

It has been nearly three decades since I first began running. In the beginning, even 15 to 20 minutes felt like my absolute limit. I doubted whether my body could handle the strain—aching legs, sudden side stitches, blisters on my heels, and the constant irritation from chafing fabric. Yet over time, my daily running log began to reflect growing energy and commitment, with longer distances steadily becoming the norm.

Like Haruki Murakami, I’ve come to value my early morning runs as the most meaningful part of the day—a time when I can be fully alone with my thoughts, unrestrained, unbridled, and calm. During those long, sweaty, and tiring stretches, I find a sense of clarity and prepare myself to face a world often filled with troubling news and overwhelming noise. I relate to Murakami’s idea of transforming frustration and anger into something constructive, much like he channels it into his writing. If accepting the world’s unfairness is unavoidable, then I choose to make each day meaningful in my own way—by turning it into a day worth running.

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #49. The Cider House Rules (authored by John Irving, 1985)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films, listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#49. Cider House Rules (authored by John Irving’s book, 1985)

This is a novel authored by John Irving in 1985, which was made into a film in 1999. The story is taking place before and after World War II, following a young man named Homer Wells as he is raised in an orphanage under the care and tutelage of a troubled M.D. Wilbur Larch, an obstetrician who also performs abortions. This coming-of-age story portrays Homer’s journey into adulthood as he ultimately leaves to find his own path.

 

(Dr. Wilbur Larch said): “People only ask questions when they're ready to hear the answers.”

=> This line of Dr. Larch indicates the truth or acceptance of an unpleasant truth that comes only when a person is emotionally or mentally ready to cope with it. Most people tend to avoid unpleasant truths or speaking about difficult moral choices until they have to deal with them. The asking of the "question" only occurs when the person has built the courage or desperation to deal with the "answer".

In a medicine context, procrastination doesn't matter if you can bear the answer, so it doesn't matter if you get the answer to get anywhere. In other words, humans can only handle the question, or face the peril unless you're too afraid to ask it. The justification Dr. Larch uses is that he runs an abortion clinic, and he does not want women to make decisions, so he doesn't want to limit their options. He wants them to take ownership of their decisions and he gives them the agency to make it happen.

In the broader context of the book, the quote refers only to the part of the book's theme that formal, "posted", rules (i.e., the Cider House Rules) do not work. The things that are actually rules are about what people experience and learn by themselves. And many people are too ashamed or afraid to ask. When they finally do, it means they are ready for the answer. In other words, the Dr. Larch wanted to say that asking a question doesn't make change or be accepted; you can only live it when you're able to accept or make a change for yourself.

 

‘Being afraid you’ll look like a coward is the worst reason for doing anything.’

=> Making decisions out of fear of being seen as weak is misguided. Instead, actions should be guided by genuine personal convictions rather than worries about others’ opinions. The line underscores the idea that fear of appearing cowardly is a poor basis for any choice. In the novel, this reflects how people of that time often shaped their lives according to societal expectations and the judgments of others.

 

‘The thing that is the hardest to accept about the passage of time is that the people who once mattered the most wind up in parentheses’.

=> One of the hardest aspects of growing older is seeing people who were once deeply important— such as partners, close friends, or family —gradually fade into distant memories or minor footnotes in your life. It captures the quiet sadness of drifting apart, where once-meaningful relationships are reduced to brief recollections. Individuals who once shaped your world take on a smaller, less central role in your personal history over time. It reflects the subtle and often uncomfortable process of becoming strangers again in the end.

 

(Dr. Wilbert Larch repeated to the children at St. Cloud's): “Goodnight, you princes of Maine, you kings of New England”

       => Dr. Wilbur Larch’s nightly blessing to the orphans—“Goodnight, you princes of Maine, you kings of New England,” sometimes extended to include “princesses” and “queens”—captures the doctor’s feelings of compassion within a harsh reality. He repeats this line at St. Cloud’s to help the children (who easily might have felt deprived and deserted by their own biological parents from their birth) feel valued, secure, and at ease. It is like a soothing ritual before sleep to both the doctor and the orphans. The phrase reappears in the final chapter, symbolizing the lasting influence of both Larch and Homer. Though it may seem simply comforting, the author has indicated that the line functions much like a heartfelt prayer, offering emotional reassurance to the children.

  

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

The novel appears to explore how individuals can claim and preserve true ownership over their own lives. In the past, it was likely much harder for people to assert themselves publicly and speak openly. Although times have changed, modern pressures—such as cancel culture—can still discourage complete honesty and openness. In this book, the harsh truths of unsafe and illegal abortions were the heartless situation that could not be easily solved or unraveled. If you were Dr. Larch, would you focus on the well-being of women as the top priority and willingly help them with abortions? Otherwise, would you rather be on Homer’s side who’s against the idea of keeping the unborn babies’ lives? In either case, whose rules would that be to control or make your decisions? What is, in your own standards, right or wrong? I believe the significance of selecting a purposeful life and assisting others can be achieved frequently by confronting unjust systems in our society.

Another thing I found that stands out in the story is the fleeting nature of life. Everything changes over time, even things or relationships that once seemed permanent. The inevitability of change and the emotional weight of time must feel sad to most of us. Relationships that were once intense and central are pushed into the background, remembered only in passing rather than experienced daily. Have you ever been someone who once meant the world to another person, but gradually faded away from their life over time? Have you had someone like that in your life as well? Either way, we’re all fortunate to have been—or to have had—someone like that, because it means we once held meaning or purpose in someone’s life.

 

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #48. The Good Girl (film, 2002)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films, listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#48. The Good Girl (film, 2002)

The narrative centers on a thirty-year-old woman named Justine (played by Jennifer Aniston) who works as a clerk in a discount store (called Rodeo retail). She feels deeply confined and frustrated by her repetitive, unfulfilling life, sharing a home with her unmotivated, pot-smoking husband. Over time, she becomes romantically involved with a younger coworker (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) who sees himself as a modern-day version of Holden Caulfield, the central character from the once-controversial coming-of-age novel The Catcher in the Rye authored by J.D. Salinger.

 

(Justin said to Holden): “After living in the dark for so long, a glimpse of the light can make you giddy. Strange thoughts come into your head and you better think 'em. Has a special fate been calling you and you not listening? Is there a secret message right in front of you and you're not reading it? Is this your last, best chance? Are you gonna take it? Or are you going to the grave with unlived lives in your veins?”

ð     Justin expresses a deep, almost desperate urge to break out of her shell and grasp a rare chance at happiness—even if doing so feels risky or unsettling—rather than continuing to exist in a lifeless, lackluster, and stagnant situation. She describes spending a long time in emotional pain, emptiness, or unhappiness as living in the dark, which makes even a small sign of hope or joy feel overwhelming and intoxicating.

When faced with the possibility of change, unusual or impulsive ideas may arise —like walking away from responsibilities or starting over. Justin suggests these thoughts shouldn’t be ignored, as they may reveal genuine desires deep down inside of her. She implies that opportunities or a sense of purpose might already be present, but fear or routine has prevented her from recognizing or acting on them.

It challenges her to choose between staying in a safe but empty life or risking everything for something more meaningful. She meant to say “unlived lives” would symbolize the regret of never pursuing one’s true desires. In this film, this line reflects Justin’s intense and romanticized worldview, which strongly influences her. Feeling stuck in a painfully repetitive job and an unfulfilling marriage, she becomes drawn to the idea of escape. Justin’s monologue shows that living “correctly or the right way” or “safely” can sometimes feel like a form of personal confinement.

 

(Jack Field, the manager of the retail Rodeo store): “Life goes on, and so should we.”

ð     After a coworker’s suicide in the store, the store manager Jack Field shows a detached or somewhat cold corporate mindset that avoids confronting emotional pain. It pressures employees to keep things running smoothly, suppress their reactions, and maintain a surface-level sense of normalcy instead of mourning their colleague.

He tries to downplay a serious tragedy, urging the staff to move past it quickly so the store can continue functioning. His remarks are the film’s theme of emotional numbness—carrying on as if nothing has changed within a cold, impersonal workplace, even when something deeply mind-boggling and upsetting has occurred. This inhumane vibe stands in contrast to Justine’s longing for purpose and fulfillment, showing that her surroundings expect her to ignore her inner struggles and remain stuck in a confining routine. Overall, the manager’s cold attitude illustrates how the “real world” can often seem indifferent to personal suffering and internal turmoil.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

Have you ever strayed from the path you were expected to follow? If you have, do you regret choosing a different direction? If you haven’t, do you ever wish you had the courage to step outside your comfort zone? Either way, deciding to pursue something unfamiliar often requires deep reflection. What makes it even more difficult is the uncertainty—people aren’t always sure whether their inner desires are worth risking everything they currently have. Who can confidently say that it’s worth abandoning a stable but uninspiring life to chase something that looks crazier and more meaningful? And what if that sudden shift turns out to be a mistake rather than a breakthrough?

The film ends with Justine staying in her ordinary marriage and routine life after her lover, Holden, dies by suicide, leaving her pregnant. This conclusion emphasizes her acceptance of a quiet, unfulfilling existence shaped by habit and social expectations, rather than the passionate yet unstable escape she briefly experienced with him. The ending leaves a sense of emotional conflict. Was she ever truly happy, even for a short time, despite how things turned out? Could that fleeting experience of love be enough to sustain her through a life that otherwise feels empty or painfully comfortable on the outside? It ultimately raises a broader question for ourselves: what keeps a person moving forward each day when hope feels distant or uncertain?

 

Here’s the last passage that Justin’s lover Holden had written: “It is a story about a girl who was put upon, whose job is like a prison, and whose life has lost all meaning. Other people don't get her, especially her husband. One day she meets a boy who is also put upon and they fall in love. After spending their whole lives never getting got, with one look they get each other completely. In the end the girl and the boy run away together into the wilderness, never to be heard from again."

It's time to play the puzzle from the latest NPR on-air challenge! Find familiar 3-word phrases that have the same first and the last words connected by 'to'!!

 

Every answer is a familiar three-word phrase, in which the first and last words are the same, and the middle word is "to."

 

Ex. Like a lease that has no expiration date   -->   MONTH TO MONTH

 

1. Consecutive, as wins

 

2. Like carpet that fully covers a room

 

3. Clear across the United States

 

4. [Fill in the blank:] ___ resuscitation

 

5. Deeply personal, as a conversation between two people

 

6. Like heavy traffic

 

7. How a traveling salesman may go around a neighborhood

 

8. The time 9:50

 

9. Like two people directly in front of each other

 

10. When making a comparison, things you should compare because they're alike

11. Kind of defense in basketball

 

12. [Double:] Line from a burial service suggesting the transience of physical life

 

Answer Keys 

    1.  BACK to BACK

    2.  WALL to WALL

    3.  COAST to COAST

    4.  MOUTH to MOUTH

    5.  HEART to HEART

    6.  BUMPER to BUMPER

    7.  DOOR to DOOR

    8.  TEN to TEN

    9.  FACE to FACE 

    10.  APPLES to APPLES

    11. MAN to MAN

12.             ASHES to ASHES, DUST to DUST

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #47. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (film, 2024)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films, listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#47. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (film, 2024)

By incorporating real footage from the 2022–2023 Iranian protests (sparked by Mahsa Amini’s death and violently suppressed by the state), director Mohammad Rasoulof blurs the line between fiction and reality, reinforcing its sense of urgency and political immediacy. He weaves real-life protest footage and scenes of police violence into the film, giving it a striking documentary immediacy.

The movie follows Iman, a newly promoted investigative judge. He grows increasingly paranoid amid the unrest in Tehran. When his gun goes missing, he turns his suspicion toward his own family, imposing harsh, authoritarian rules that fracture their relationships as the broader social order begins to unravel. When one of Rezvan’s (Iman’s daughter) friends is injured during a rally, she grows increasingly sympathetic to the movement, much to her parents’ dismay. Yet even Iman, despite his role within the system, begins to waver. His new position demoralizes him, as it requires him to interrogate—and potentially imprison—hundreds of protestors in the streets.

 

“Ficus Religiosa (Sacred Fig) is a tree with an unusual life cycle. Its seeds, contained in bird droppings, fall on other trees. Aerial roots spring up and grow down to the floor. Then, the branches wrap around the host tree and strangle it. Finally, the sacred fig stands on its own.”

ð  The film begins with an epigraph describing the life cycle of the sacred fig trees, which serves as a central metaphor for both the Iranian political regime and Iman’s moral corruption. The text explains how the tree’s seeds, often carried in bird droppings, lodge themselves in another tree, grow roots downward, and gradually strangle their host until the fig stands alone. This biological process mirrors the film’s portrayal of authoritarian power and tyranny, which is an invasive force that embeds itself within society, spreads through control and fear, and ultimately destroys the very structures it depends and is based on. In this way, the opening quote foreshadows not only the oppressive reach of the regime, but also Iman’s transformation as he internalizes and enacts that same suffocating logic within his own family.

 

(Iman said to his daughters): "In faith, there are no questions. You have to feel it in your bones."

ð  Iman says this to his daughters as the ultimatum that demands absolute obedience and unquestioning loyalty. When his daughters challenge his role as an investigative judge, he is showing his growing insistence on submission over critical thought. Iman has started to equate faith with compliance, collapsing the boundary between religious devotion and state authority. (The irony is sharpened by his name, which means “faith,” as he suppresses his own doubts in order to uphold the system.) This moment marks a turning point in his transformation into an enforcer of authoritarian power, one who extends the regime’s logic into the private zone of his family. In this way, the line echoes the film’s central metaphor of the sacred fig. Just as the tree slowly strangles its host, rigid ideology tightens its grip, suffocating independent thought and eroding the bonds of trust and intimacy. Ultimately, this line of Iman’s underscores how such regimes sustain themselves—not only through violence, but by normalizing the elimination of doubt.

 

(Nameh, Iman’s wife said to Iman): “She's a child. This isn't the court, it's your home."

ð  As aforementioned above, Iman’s role as a newly promoted investigating judge in Iran’s Revolutionary Court—where he is tasked with approving death sentences— spills into his private life, revealing how authoritarianism is internalized and reproduced on a personal level. He begins to treat his daughters, Rezvan and Sana, not as family but as potential suspects, importing the paranoia, suspicion, and rigid control of the courtroom into the home. The regime’s logic does not remain confined to public institutions but infiltrates intimate relationships of Iman’s family.

Najmeh (Iman’s wife), caught in the middle, attempts to preserve a boundary between these spheres, insisting—implicitly and explicitly—that the court is not the home. Her resistance reflects a desperate effort to protect her family from the corrosive effects of Iman’s authority. Yet her position is precarious; she performs a delicate balancing act, trying to maintain unity while defending a husband who is increasingly consumed by fear and control. As Iman’s behavior grows more extreme, his authority—once framed as righteous and “sacred”—begins to hollow out the family from within. In this way, the household like the sacred fig, gradually strangles and ultimately destroys the very structures it inhabits.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

In the midst of ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran, some observers have framed the conflict as a struggle for freedom, assuming that external intervention might liberate ordinary Iranians from authoritarian rule. Yet many voices around the world—including those within Iran—have increasingly criticized both the United States and Israel, arguing that such actions bring terrible destruction rather than relief. In this light, the question becomes less about competing ideologies and more about the human cost—how violence, regardless of its justification, ultimately endangers the very lives it claims to protect.

Beyond politics, I find myself asking a more unsettling question: what truly erodes a person’s moral core? The Seed of the Sacred Fig confronts this question with unflinching honesty. Through Iman’s story, the film portrays the quiet, internal collapse of conscience under pressure. As he struggles to reconcile his role as an investigative judge with the moral clarity of his daughters, we witness a man caught between external authority and internal truth. His descent is not sudden but gradual, shaped by fear, ambition, and the need to preserve status.

This raises difficult questions that extend beyond the film itself. How far can someone go in maintaining power or social standing while still hearing the voice of their conscience? And perhaps more importantly, what kind of courage does it take to listen to that voice—and act on it—when doing so may cost everything?

The director of this film, Mohammad Rasoulof has long been an outspoken critic of the Iranian government, and his filmmaking has repeatedly brought him into direct conflict with state authorities. In the lead-up to his film’s premiere at Cannes Film Festival, he was once again sentenced—reportedly to eight years in prison, along with flogging and a fine—on charges tied to his artistic work and public statements, which the court framed as threats to national security. Facing this punishment, Rasoulof ultimately chose exile over imprisonment. As he explained in a personal statement, he was forced to decide between remaining in Iran and going to prison or leaving his country behind; with what he described as a “heavy heart,” he chose to leave.

 

About the NATIVE SPEAKERS of a Language (e.g., English)

 

Who are the “native speakers” of English?

Jean J. Lee

 

As Kachru et al. (cited in McKay & Hornberger, 1996) put it, “native speakers” can be defined as people who acquired a language as their first language from birth in a natural setting. Then who would be classified as the native speaker of English? For may years in the past, although people have broadened the associations of people and places with English (i.e., the Britain, Canada, the U.S., and Australia), they still believed that native English speakers are Anglo-Saxon, which refers to white Americans. However, since several decades ago, this type of simple distinction between native vs. non-native speakers of English has been seriously doubted. In other words, this type of association of language and its native speakers was not sufficient to explain the wide range and depth in language varieties (i.e., world Englishes). Therefore, the first step to take in viewing English as a world language would be to get over or break out of the assumption about the existing ownership of the language.

In this sense, we cannot ignore the fact that attention has been gained on the relationship between a language/ language variety and its particular functions. That is, people began to think about specific contexts or domains where English plays its different roles/ functions (i.e., the field of law, education, business, publishing, and popular culture). And furthermore, the use of English is widely ranged depending on the specific situations in different societies.

This is how Kachru et al. came up with the idea of three “concentric circles” of English uses and its users. The circle in the most inner center is called an inner circle, which refers to the countries such as the U.S., the Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where English is used as people’s first language. The second largest circle right outside of the inner circle is called an outer circle referring to the countries such as India, Pakistan, Singapore, and South Africa. In this outer circle, people use English as the official language for education, publication, law, and governance. Lastly the largest circle which is outer-most is called an expanding circle referring to the countries such as Korea, China, Japan, and Indonesia. In the expanding circle, people use English for more specialized purposes such as business or for an academic purpose such as reading particular textbooks in school settings. However, this kind of superficial distinction or sorting creates attitudinal problems. That is, the efforts of standardization and codification have occurred exclusively in the inner circle countries, and thereby the outer as well as expanding circle countries had been half intentionally and half unintentionally made to depend on the convention and prescriptive grammars and usage of the inner circle. This notion of three concentric circles (i.e., the inner, outer, and expanding circles) can correspond to native, ESL, and EFL settings. In this way, this concept of English as a native or second/third/fourth…language imposes the sense of “being less worthy or worse than the first” upon the people living in outer and expanding circles.

Therefore, as Kachru et al. (cited in McKay & Hornberger, 1996) claimed, since language is a conveyer of power relationship or different ideology, it should be the language teachers and educators’ responsibility to re-examine the status of world Englishes and raise their own as well as the students’ consciousness as to the great variety of English users and uses throughout the world today. For example, in the ESL settings, English varieties (i.e., world Englishes) can be used as a medium through which both teachers and students learn about a variety of cultures with one another, and thereby cultivate a sense of multiculturalism. This multicultural aspect can also be emphasized through teaching and learning different types of discourse analyses according to different parts of the world where it is used. In case of EFL settings, Englishes for specific purposes (i.e., medical, business, air speak) can be re-examined in terms of its limited functions and forms.

To conclude, teachers and students from any part of the world should keep in mind that differences in English do not automatically indicate the disorder in the language.

 

 

LIVE, LEARN, & LIVE SERIES #46. The Cat and the Moon (Zen Stories by Kai Tsukimi, 2025)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films, listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#46. The Cat and the Moon (Zen tales by Kai Tsukimi, 2025)

This is a compilation of Zen stories that guide you to peaceful temples, tranquil gardens, and quiet moments of reflection, accompanied by an enigmatic cat. Each story encourages you to pause, release overthinking, and notice subtle awakenings—known as “Satori (悟り)”—woven into everyday life. With soft humor, evocative beauty, and understated wisdom, the stories avoid lengthy explanations, instead allowing you to experience their meaning on your own.

 

(excerpted from “The Cat who Sat in a Circle”)

The children were playing in the temple courtyard, dragging pieces of chalk across the stones, drawing dragons, birds, and crooked hopscotch squares. When the cat passed by, one of them knelt down and carefully drew a circle around it – not touching its fur, not too tight, just wide enough to leave space.

“There,” the child whispered. “ Now it can’t leave.”

The other children gathered close, watching with wide, expectant eyes. The cat blinked, glanced down at the pale white line, then back up at the faces leaning over it.

It didn’t move. The cat shifted its paws slightly, leaned forward, but stopped just before the edge. It stretched its neck as if testing the air beyond the line, ears twitching at something no one else could hear. Then, without warning, it sat down – tail curled close, body still.

……………………………. It lifted one paw, held it in the air just long enough to feel the weight of the decision, then placed it down inside the line. And it sat. As if leaving or staying had never really been the question at all.”

ð     In this tale, while the child (who draws the circle around the cat) assumes the cat is trapped, thinking it cannot leave, the cat remains inside the circle by choice, not by force. This suggests that many of the restrictions people experience are mental rather than physical. The cat’s careful movements—pausing, sensing, and settling—reflect a state of mindfulness. It is fully immersed in the present moment, without concern for the past or future. 

By staying inside the circle willingly, the cat shows that external boundaries can be accepted or even engaged with playfully, without losing one’s sense of freedom. The story implies that distinctions such as staying or leaving hold little meaning for the cat. This aligns with a principle that dualities—like inside versus outside or freedom versus confinement— are no more than constructs of the mind. In essence, the tale conveys that true freedom arises from inner awareness and presence, not from the absence of external boundaries.

 

(excerpted from “The Dog Who Remembered”)

“I had a dream,” the dog murmured after a long pause. “You were on the roof, watching the stars.”

The cat shifted its weight – feeling the ground beneath its paws. The dog smiled softly, seeing the small movement. “You always did that … when you didn’t want to answer.” The space between them held. Finally, the dog stood, its limp more pronounced in the silence. “Or maybe,” it whispered, “I’ve been chasing the wrong memory.” Without waiting for a reply, it turned toward the trees, dragging its broken line behind it.

The cat watched until the sound disappeared, ears tilted forward, body unmoving. ……….. Just sitting, facing the empty courtyard, as if listening to something no one else could hear. And somewhere deep in the night, beneath breath and bone, the bell began to ring.

ð     This tale helps us understand the meaning of letting go of the past, accepting change, and living fully in the present. The dog symbolizes the human habit of clinging to past pain, fixed identities, or distorted memories—the “broken line” of its life. Its realization shows that holding onto what is gone only prolongs suffering, much like its lingering limp. The cat in the tale represents awakened state—calm, grounded, and free from attachment to stories or emotional weight. Its silence suggests that truth does not need explanation; it is understood through direct experience.

The cat finds wholeness in stillness. Also, the “empty courtyard” symbolizes a clear and open mind, unburdened by thoughts or concepts. The bell marks “aha moment” of insight or awakening—a quiet realization of peace that arises when the urge to chase memories or seek answers fades away. This tale serves as a metaphor for releasing painful attachment to the past and embracing the present moment, revealing that peace naturally emerges in stillness once we stop chasing what cannot be held.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

Have you ever had a day when your thoughts feel scattered, or become so used to constant busyness that you rarely pause to breathe? While reading this short yet quietly impactful Zen book, I found a sense of genuine “me time,” similar to the calmness I experience during my morning runs. It felt as though my worries and tangled thoughts gradually dissolved into a single point, freeing me from external expectations and judgments, and helping me become more aware of my own need for peace.

Both positive and negative memories can be reshaped or distorted over time, often influenced by our own desires. As the author Tsukimi suggests, the silence shared between beings can express more truth than words ever can. Because of this, we may not need to keep explaining or revisiting the past to ourselves.

At times, it can feel as though we are living within invisible boundaries created by others, which can lead to unexpected frustration or a sense of isolation. Yet these feelings of despair can be broken through our own choices. Perhaps disappointment was never truly inherent to begin with. In the end, we are simply who we are, grounded in the present moment, shaped by our own awareness and will.

Let's go animals!

 20 Incredible Animal Adjectives to Go Wild For!!

Are you a pet keeper? Then, I bet you are an animal lover. Today, let us test how many animal adjectives we are familiar with!

Here are some examples:

-     vulpine: meaning literally “fox-like” or figuratively “sly/clever/resourceful”

-     anserine:  meaning literally “resembling a goose”/ “goose-like” or figuratively somebody acting like a “silly goose” / foolish/ stupid/ silly

 

Are you ready to explore the world of animal vocabulary?

    1.   Be careful because they sting!:  v______ine

 

2.   Bald is one variety: a____iline

 

3.   The king of the jungle: l_____nine

   

    4.   Smokey, Grizzly, Polar, or Winnie the Pooh: u_____ne

 

5.   When something slithers past, making hissing noise: s______tine

 

6.   family of birds including the crows, ravens, and jays: c______ine

 

7.   more than 500 species of rats/ rodent: m_____ine

 

    8.   You find them at the beach or in astrology/ crab-like: c______ine

 

    9.  Resembling the feathers of a peacock, as in coloring: pa______ine

 

    10. They’re at home in the oceans, lakes, and rivers: p______ine

 

    11.   They look good in stripes: z_________id

 

Answer Keys

    1.  vespine

    2.  aquiline

    3.  leonine

    4.  ursine

    5.  serpentine

    6.  corvine

    7.  murine

    8.  cancrine

    9.  pavonine

    10.  piscine

    11. zebroid

 

*source from dictionary.com