As I share my Emergency Room story, my Japanese professor replies with "Inochi yori kenkou." Literally, health over life. She tells me to guess what it means and I tell her that I think I know the general meaning, but the gleam in her eye also tells me she wants to explain it herself. She proceeds and a paints a picture of a man who lives but suffers from bad health.
"It's better if he weren't alive isn't it?"
"Yes, I believe so." I reply.
She continues, "If you don't have health, how can you really enjoy life?"
I don't think she meant to disregard people who suffer from health problems, but her point was that I needed to take care of myself. I had been so busy that my health had deteriorated.
I don't think she meant to disregard people who suffer from health problems, but her point was that I needed to take care of myself. I had been so busy that my health had deteriorated.
She's a rare person in academia. Most professor push you hard. Read these five books by next week. Go learn Chinese, Arabic, and Russian by next year. Vacation? You don't need a vacation! This professor on the other hand, says to enjoy what you like. Many times we voluntarily enter a rat race where competition is relentless and harmful.
"Don't you see that a lot of the professor here are weird? They don't know how to interact with normal people and live in a world that nobody really cares about."
"Yes, I think many people would agree. That's why I'm not gonna pursue a phD anymore." I answer.
"Yes, you don' t need to. You know, I'm a bit old but I still dream about having a kisaten (coffee shop). I'm going to pursue it someday. The economy is really bad right now, so maybe that'll give me the jump start to go and do that."
"So when will your grand opening be?" I add and we both laugh.
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