Beautiful lion, jump over the ice of frozen tears

I was watching the figure skating team events at the 2026 Winter Olympics. 

Team USA's Ilia Malinin seemed to be doing great, when he backflipped. 

I was taken by a profound surprise.

It is even allowed?

The announcer said that the action was now allowed in the olympics. Malinin looked like a lion when he backflipped. A glitch or two in jumps did not seem to matter after the backflip and the overall grandiose manner of his actions.

Team Japan's Shun Sato did his very best, a perfect action, but still fell short of overtaking the American lion.

Sato sobbed uncontrollably after hearing the scores. That was pure Olympic magic. Sato did his best, at the greatest sports event in the world. Sato will remember this moment for the rest of his life. And so will we.

Tears freeze into beautiful ice after the utmost effort and love one living creature is ever capable of. 

Beautiful lion, jump over the ice of frozen tears, and proud samurai, face your rival and friend with the serenity of an attitude.

Qualia Journal.

 

We are all in this chaos we call the world, together.

When I awoke this morning the world was white.

Walking along the Tokyo streets in my neighborhood to cast my vote in the snap General Election called by prime minister Sanae Takaichi, i saw kids playing in the newly formed snow fields. When I was their age I also played with and in the snow, fascinated by the unknown, represented by the snow. 

When did I start to worry about my footsteps and disturbances of the public transportation system, instead of living in awe and wonder of the moments?

After I finished voting, I came out onto the streets. There were four elderly ladies gathered in front of the election bulletin board, taking long hard looks at the facebook posters and discussing votes among them. 

I overheard some political party names but pretended that I was only listening to the wind blowing.

I was totally with the ladies. I also did not know too much about the candidates in my election district.

The kids faces the unknown in the snow.

We grownups ponder the uncertainties in Japan's political future.

We are all in this chaos we call the world, together.

It started to snow again.

Qualia Journal.

I wish Miyazaki will win the Nobel Prize for Literature someday.

I was attending a party at the Hotel New Otani in Tokyo, and a former student Miyazawa came to the venue. He had become slim.

Miyazawa graduated from the English Literature department of the University of Tokyo, and is writing novels now.

During our chat, I said that I felt that humanism was lacking in typical Japanese works these days and said that Albert Camus, whom I was reading at the moment, was different. 

Miyazawa said that you couldn't compare contemporary Japanese authors with Albert Camus. We then chatted on about Motoyuki Shibata and Haruki Murakami, and parted our ways.

Back on Tokyo streets, I was reflecting on the Miyazawa comment. I did not mean because Albert Camus was a great figure in world literature, a Nobel laureate, contemporary Japanese authors are no comparison. 

My feelings were more subtle and nuanced.

We of course have Hayao Miyazaki, who is a great humanist. I wish Miyazaki will win the Nobel Prize for Literature someday, I thought.

It started to snow, and I hurried my way in the chilly winter air.

Qualia Journal.