FEEL.

Ideally, IDEALLY, there shouldn't be any law. People should know what they're not supposed to do and live without doing things that are wrong even without laws and punishments. Sadly, however, that's not how our world works. We do have laws. Yeah, we actually have a lot of them.

As I wrote in the previous post, there have been so many and too many sad news this year. I always turn on the TV right after I get out the bed and watch TV shows while I get ready for school. Nobody wants to feel sad or sick right after they got up. But it happened to me a lot this year. Those news made me sad, mad, and helpless. They made me think, "Why?! Why'd you do that?! How cruel!"

Confucius said, "Don't treat people with ways you don't want to be treated." I think it's time that all people remember this and live accordingly. Then the world will be a better place.

There are many many countries, cultures, languages, etc. on this planet. In this sense, the world is never small. But still, we are all human. And we share so many things. We all have emotions. We all feel happiness, sadness, anger, etc. If we all remember that all the other people are just like us, nobody would want to rape somebody or be a racist. We all are real humans with thoughts and feeling, and we all have history, family, and friends.

You know, feelings could be tough. Yeah, I sometimes feel I want to stop feeling because... because it gets tough sometimes and there are times when I want to stop thinking and be a robot. I wouldn't be happy but I wouldn't have to feel sad either. But I think after all, I am human and emotions are what make me a human, not a robot. So I should stick to them. Because if I didn't have any feelings, I wouldn't understand how other people feel either.

You could say, "Stop being selfish and be nice." Yes, that's very important. But I'd rather say, "Feel more." Feel. You have emotions. And remember, all the people you meet, your family, your friends, the person sitting across from you on train, the cashier at the convenience store you often go to buy lunch, have emotions. They feel too. Emotions bring compassion. And compassion is what we need more in this world, I think.

Thank You Carrie Fisher.

2016 has been full of sad news. I said "has been" because 2016 hasn't finished yet (obviously). There have been so many frightening and threatening news. But also, so many great people have passed away.

This time, I'd like to say a bit about Carrie Fisher. I was shocked to hear the news. I thought she was recovering from the heart attack. The news of her having a heart attack on a plane was still shocking to me, but just as when people were relieved to hear she was ok, she passed away. And it broke my heart.

To be honest, I started watching the Star Wars series only recently. And I thought, "Why hadn't I watched it much earlier?" The series is that awesome. Oh, and I already watched the new one, Rogue One, which was also fantastic.

I wasn't born until 1993, so it's hard to imagine how the 70's (when the first Star Wars episode came out) was like. But still, I felt that Princess Leia's character was iconic. She knows what she wants, she tells male characters what to do, she's not afraid of speaking out even in front of Darth Vader, and she's just so courageous. She wasn't being a supporting role of Luke and Han. She was a hero (I think I should say "heroine"?) too. And I think that is pretty cool. Strong female character. That is what she was.

Even today, people say we need more female superheroes. And I think Princess (technically, "General") Leia was one of the pioneers. I wish I had been familiar with the Star Wars series from much earlier. I wanted to be with General Leia more. Personally, we don't know each other, of course. General Leia doesn't actually exist, and Carrie and I have never met each other at all. But it's sad to think that she's not here anymore.

Princess (General) Leia, Carrie Fisher, thank you very much for all the excitement through the Star War series. Rest in peace. You'll always be remembered and will always be one of my role models.

Holiday Spirits?

It's already December 24th here in Japan, and you know what day it is, right? It's Christmas Eve!

Oddly, Christmas is for couples in Japan. Christmas is a romantic holiday. You can spend time with your family, of course, but in many cases, if you have a boyfriend/girlfriend, it's natural that you go out with him/her on Christmas (Eve).

...And yeah, I have a boyfriend and yes, I am going out with him this weekend. We'll go watch the new Star Wars movie, Rogue One, today, and have some easy Christmas dinner at his place. And on Sunday, we'll visit Kobe, a city in Japan, to do some sightseeing stuff, and spend time together. We'll even go to a fancy dinner at a restaurant! I don't know which restaurant we'll go because he arranged it for us secretly, which he failed to keep it a secret (lol). But it's gonna be fabulous anyway, and I'm really excited about it. I'll write about how it went next time.

But hey, let's just stop for a moment, and think about those bad things happening in the world. People are suffering. I always try to read and watch news as much as I can, and I've been hearing about sad events, such as the attack in Berlin and Aleppo. Everyday, when I turn on the TV, I hear about sad news that happened in Japan too. 2016 is a year to be remembered. So many things have happened in the world as well as in Japan.

I am blessed enough to be able to celebrate and enjoy the holiday. I have a place where I can call it my home. I am not from a rich family, and I haven't done anything to deserve a lot of money. But at least, I have something to eat everyday, and have ways to keep myself warm during this cold weather. I can't go on a splurge and live like a star everyday, but I still can spoil myself and buy some cosmetics or go out for a dinner  from time to time.

Sadly, that's not the case for many people around the world. To ne honest, I feel a little guilty that I am enjoying the holiday while a lot of people can't. I feel like I should be doing something, though I don't really know what I actually can do. I feel helpless. You know, love is important, and love is strong. I do believe in love. But hashtagging love doesn't really help, does it? Maybe it's better than nothing, but just saying "Spread Love!" isn't enough. But then, what should I do? Yeah, I can donate some money, and again, it's better than doing nothing, but still, I feel like I am not being involved enough.

I guess that's the truth. There's nothing big I, as an individual, can do. I can't just say, "Ok, people in this place is suffering. So, let's get on a plane with some foods and drinks, and fly there," right? I really can't afford it. It's really unrealistic. And I shouldn't be so thoughtless and reckless. Perhaps what I can do is just hope for the best for everyone, and appreciate what I have.

The world is complicated, and I know that resolving the issues we have in the world is not so easy and simple. And it takes time. But seeing those pictures of people who were injured and hurt makes my heart ache. I feel impatient. And I feel guilty that I live so peacefully everyday.

How are you spending the weekend? What do you think about the current situation in the world? It's sad that I can only say this, not actually making the world be like this, but... I always hope for everyone's best.