Word 067
At the western edge of the Yamato plain, where the twin peaks of Mount Nijō rise against the sky, Taima-dera has stood for fourteen centuries. Its paired pagodas — east and west — remain as they were in the Hakuhō and Tenpyō eras.
On a still morning, mist settles between the stone lanterns lining the approach. Moss clings to the roots of old trees. The bell has already been struck once; its sound has dissolved into the air, and a silence fills the whole of the grounds.
When the first light comes over the eastern hills and reaches the roof of the main hall, it is the same light it has always been.
“It’s because of so-and-so that my life has turned out this way.”
“If so-and-so weren’t around, my life would have been so much better.”
These are the words of a curse — words that hand your life over to someone else.
If you want to take full control of your own life, stop using them. Right now.
It takes strength and courage — but you can do it!
When you choose to take hold of your own steps, the path ahead quietly shifts — and becomes yours.