Don’t be surprised by that old man; I’m sure he’s over eighty, as was evident from his hunched back, his white hair, and his sagging skin, but I can assure you that his heart is bright, and his outlook on the future is perhaps better than that of a thirty-year-old in another country not far from here!!
That old man is carrying on his back some blankets and clothes that might cover his nakedness, and he has pitched his tent next to his old house. Tenderness toward him grows as he cleans and removes trash from the street, and many others like him—women, young men, and old men—when they saw that this country, they wrapped their bodies in its soil, and their concerns grew together like spring trees; their fate was one and their goal was one. This is Japan’s understanding of the meaning of solidarity and the power of determination; they transformed the philosophy of positive thinking into collective action and built stronger strategic task forces.
That man instilled in me a sense of reassurance that the future lies ahead of me, and I do not know whether death will precede me to it or not... That is in God’s hands alone, but determination coursed through my veins and my spirit soared, so much so that I envisioned a bright future awaiting those who reach it, and then I realized that a person’s true strength lies in taking joy in their achievements and maintaining a positive outlook on their bright future, and in letting go of whatever might deter them from that.
A Muslim woman completes the Quran at the age of eighty, and another American woman earns a doctorate after turning ninety, The stories are many and the examples even more. Have you ever asked yourself where you will be in time? Have you not asked yourself why you are stuck in your dark surroundings? Have you seen how the sun rises, how the moon shines, and how the stars twinkle? Hasn’t envy stung you when you see those who have buried failure and disappointment under the rubble of time and marched forward? I am not exaggerating. Did the geniuses and great scholars ever dream of becoming what they were? Yes, they nurtured their ambitions with their own eyes, they planned and persisted, they set their sights on their goals, and they achieved them. Perhaps you are even enjoying some of their inventions and achievements!!
