Ayumu Takahashi

Haru-chan and Non-chan introduced a wonderful little photo book to us, called Love & Free by Ayumi Takahashi. He is a travel writer who has this one book translated to English. And what a wonderful inspiring read. He travelled with his new wife for 1 year and 8 months around the world, and the book is his random journal entries on his travels and the photos are the photos he takes. He writes about the stuff that makes your heart flutter and reminds us of the little bits and pieces of life that matters. The translation has been kept to the Japanese style and rhythm... Here's one I really like that is a reflection of myself here, and the wonderful people I've met here at Fuji eco park...

Personality
In the great outdoors, in big cities, I come across many different personalities.
If broadly categorising humans, there are the "farming type" and the "hunting type".

In the farming world, there is no cheap judgement system of "who can do the job, and who cant do the job." The calm routines and small pleasures of everyday life are virtues.

In the hunting world, roles are assigned in order to achieve a goal.
The role of the leader is born to manage the group to effectively achieve those goals.
In this world, a person's abilities and competence are challenged, and everyday is a succession of competition. And of course, victory becomes a virtue.

Neither is superior. Both worlds possess their own type of happiness.

With that in mind, I have no doubt that until now, I lived deep in the hunting world.
And without trying to see personalities, forced the farming type into the hunting world and judged them on the basis of "Can or Cant"; no realising how much suffering that may have caused.

I will probably, as always, continue to live deep in the hunting world, but because of this journey, I know now I have the heart to accept this farming world or the first time.
Lately, weird... how that makes me happy.