New Year's Thoughts | Kikuko Ota (Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care)

2013.01.09

*This month's theme: An acrostic poem on the word "Okashira"

Momentum is building for the bid to host a major sports festival, the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in Tokyo. This is said to be spurred on by the outstanding performance of Japanese athletes at last year's London Games. The performance of Keio students and Keio University alumni was also wonderful. Whether watching TV or reading the newspaper, I found myself engrossed in cheering them on.

The sight of them challenging their potential moves those who watch. Furthermore, we are struck by the words of the athletes. "For my own way of life," "As the first step in my next life," "I couldn't have come this far on my own strength alone," and so on. These are the true feelings born from the results achieved by those with extraordinary abilities who have made more than ordinary efforts.

It was not just the younger generation; the calm and beautiful figure of Hiroshi Hoketsu, the oldest member of the Japanese team, taught us that potential can be polished even as we age. The Olympics also taught us that new possibilities can open up, such as when the bitter experiences of injury or failure are channeled into a passion for nurturing the next generation.

The new year has arrived, and this Year of the Snake, a year of shedding one's skin, is the first New Year for me as I begin to reach a turning point in my life. With a fresh start, I ponder various thoughts about what kind of year to make it. At the crowded *hatsumode* (the first shrine visit of the year), when my turn finally comes and I put my hands together in prayer, for just a moment, all sound disappears, and I focus on my prayer. It's strange how at such times, even a dog being held in someone's arms seems unusually solemn. And then,

I am already thinking about next year.

A mind that can focus on one thing and a body that can make things happen are indispensable for achieving anything. While I am aware of the changes each year as this mind and body become less reliable, I am grateful that I can still envision the coming future in various ways and feel happy about it.

Without a dream, nothing changes. If you have a dream—a wish for things to be a certain way, a desire to do something—and continue to believe that it will come true, a path will eventually open up. This is surely because the "sensors" for realizing your dream work sensitively, allowing you to detect encounters with people and opportunities and react proactively. I hope that it will be a good year for all of you as well.

(Published on: 2013/01/09)