I Want to Be Someone Who Can Feel the Seasons

 
This year,

I have been feeling the passing of the seasons
in a way that feels somewhat nostalgic.

When I took off my heavy coat,
the familiar streets were filled with cherry blossoms.
And just when I thought the rain had passed,
it brought strong sunlight in its wake.

Now it is August.
Amid the sweltering heat,
there are still cool nights
that sometimes make me want to step outside.


I remember how, last year,
I spent so much time indoors,
sheltering from the severe cold and heat.


I have always been somewhat reluctant to go out,
but those days were so extreme
that they hardly felt like four distinct seasons at all.


If days like these continue,
will I eventually stop being able to feel the seasons?
Will I stop noticing them altogether?


In Japan,
there is a beautiful tradition of deliberately enjoying
even the harshest seasons.


In summer, there is nōryō—
not escaping the heat,
but finding and enjoying coolness within it.

In winter, there is yukimi—
gazing upon the scenery
that can only emerge amid the harsh cold and falling snow.


The seasons are always changing.

It does not simply mean
that the four seasons come and go.
The very shape of each season
is changing as well.

Living in the present day,
we are constantly witnessing
how quickly those seasons are shifting.

And still,
to find new beauty within the changing seasons.

To feel the season
that can only be felt now.