Word 085
Approaching the bell tower of Todai-ji, the deep toll of the great bronze bell occasionally rings out across the precinct. Cast more than 1,200 years ago, it is one of the largest bells in Japan.
Centuries of wind and rain have etched a deep patina across its surface. And yet, with a single strike, a long, low resonance trembles through the air and carries far beyond the temple grounds. If anything, the years seem to have only deepened its tone.
The bell rings the same way today as it always has. Its age has never silenced it. If anything, each accumulated year only lets its sound spread further — quietly, but unmistakably.
There are those who feel a sense of urgency because of their age…
Surely, some people feel this way.
But there is no such thing as being "too late" in life.
In the most extreme sense, even if you realize something right before you leave this world, it is still not too late.
And if you realize it much sooner than that, all the better.
That same toll is, even today, quietly reaching someone's heart.