Discover the pearls of wisdom from one of Japan’s best writers.
For me, literature is an exercise in psychoanalysis in which the author explores the subconscious using a series of masks (characters) conditioned around a premise.
One of the great masters of this discipline is Haruki Murakami.
Reading his fiction taught me to deal with nonfiction (reality) more integratively and less painfully.
Here are three lessons I learned from reading his books that would have saved me a lot of headaches had I known them earlier.
On time
“There’s a Japanese saying I like: ‘Time and tide wait for no one.’” — Haruki Murakami
Time does not stop. Life doesn’t quit. Reality waits for no one.
It’s a lesson I learned too late in life. I spent my youth wasting my time hand over fist.
I fell into the pit of addictions. I excused myself with the Latin saying “Carpe diem” (seize the day), but I didn’t seize it; I just destroyed myself.
Little by little, I let laziness, boredom, and hopelessness into my life.
It’s a big mistake on my part because laziness is like a rude guest who tells you he is coming to spend a few days but ends up staying for months at your house.
You have to take an active position in front of life. Haruki Murakami said, “If they have no intention of waiting for us, we must take this into account, make a plan, be active and dynamic, be loaded with intentions. In short, put passivity away from us.”
Lesson: Put passivity (laziness) away from you. Refocus Carpe Diem to its true meaning: you will only live once; act accordingly.
On work
“Shortcomings can be overcome with effort, but lost opportunities cannot be regained.” — Haruki Murakami
The pearl of wisdom hidden in Murakami’s sentence is: don’t be ashamed of the result, but of not having tried.
It makes sense: lack of skill can be corrected by deliberate practice, but windows of opportunity are so-called because they close if you don’t take advantage of them.
I learned this very late in life.
There are dreams that I will never be able to fulfill because the window of opportunity disappeared before me without me doing anything about it.
Murakami taught me that regret is worse than failure because through trial and error, you reach mastery, but through inactivity and cowardice, all you get is bitterness in your heart.
Lesson: Dare to do things while you can do them. You may fail, but you also have the opportunity to accomplish your goals. And whether you succeed or not, you will have less to blame yourself for when you grow up.
On bad memories
“I often remember things I would rather forget and forget things I would rather remember. — I may have a lot to learn from my bad memories. ” — Haruki Murakami
Murakami taught me that bad memories are treasure chests that hold valuable pearls of wisdom within them.
Please don’t make my mistake. I learned it too late.
I used to anesthetize my memories with alcohol, tobacco, and junk food.
I tried to bury all my painful memories deep in my conscience. And I only succeeded in hurting myself more.
Because a dark memory cannot be healed by burying it in an even darker pit, darkness can only be dissolved by the light of consciousness.
That is why I write: to dissolve my demons with the light of truth, to make something good out of all the bad I have done in my life, to heal myself, to forgive myself, and to be happy again.
Lesson: don’t repress your memories; write about them. Let your conscience light up the darkness of your subconscious and heal your wounds.
A virtual hug
AG