letter to the world

Note: 161, October 2026 I went out for a run in the rai n this morning.   It had rained so heavily last night   that I had stayed in bed longer than usual.   I thought that if I didn’t go out,   my entire day would somehow be ruined. Along the same route by the Ishite River,   two old friends were sitting in a gazebo, playing a board game. I quickly turned my head toward the sound of laughter   on the other side of the river.   Two schoolboys were cycling joyfully in the rain. As I ran, I saw a huge tree standing strong,   packed with thick deciduous leaves that shone deep green.   Beside it stood an autumn tree, looking vulnerable,  its thin yellowish-orange leaves scattered all over the ground. They were like two friends, one comforting the other,   knowing that the latter would turn green again the following spring. The tree in autumn would not keep you dry from the rain.   There were not enough leaves to filter the raindro...

  While I was sitting on a bench in the afternoon sunshine, a tiny bird with a black, heart-shaped marking on her collar wandered beneath a tiny tree beside me. She seemed curious, pausing now and then as if wondering about how tall the tree is. I was amazed how cute she was.

Note 159: At the office table, tucked in a corner , I was working on a holiday, National Sports Day. Through the large window, I saw two birds swoop by in the clear blue sky. One was bigger than the other that flew close behind. I wondered if they were a pair, a couple, as we might call them, two little bird lovers. Perhaps the smaller one was the male. Why does nature design the female to be larger in size, yet less colorful than her mate? I grinned at the thought, then turned back to work.

Note 157: I waited, as if another sun might rise and set again after those long, whole five minutes. There was only the moon. I left,   turning back a couple of times,   staring into the empty sky, searching for what I knew would never show up. I thought I could wait just one more sleep. Then another. And another. It ran on repeat.