Word 068
Water from the ancient forests of Mount Kasuga flows quietly through Nara Park as the Yoshiki River.
On a still morning, the surface of the river reflects the blue of the sky and the green of the surrounding trees. The water is always moving, yet the reflected world holds its shape — shimmering but steady.
Lean over the bank, and you will see your own face looking back.
“Look at others and correct your own ways.”
This saying carries two meanings.
The first is the common interpretation:
① Observe others’ behavior and improve your own words and actions.
The second is a shift in perspective:
② Ask whether your own behavior might be contributing to how others act around you.
Those around you are a mirror reflecting yourself.
When something in another person moves you — stirs admiration or unease — that feeling often points back to something quietly alive within yourself.