目の前の二つの道

When I  first went to Japan, I  could have benefited
from having more faith in my own unmei as I arrived as
a teacher in the hilltop city of Takayama. Alas, back then
all I could think was that I’d made a terrible mistake, as
I struggled with the new food, language and unfamiliar
culture, and tirelessly pushed against the incongruous
course curriculum and daily timetable. Yet this journey
led me to where I  am today, writing books about cats
and Japan. Whether that was a happy coincidence, some
pre-written destiny, or even a reward for enduring life’s lessons, I  can never be too sure, but it does serve as a
reminder that sometimes it’s okay to allow things to
unfold as they should and avoid the stress of seeking
ultimate control, because perhaps what is, was always
meant to be.

Zen Of Cat / Carla Francis

I've heard this story somewhere before.

There are two paths in front of me. One is a path that someone has already walked on. The other is a path that no one has ventured onto yet. I chose the path that no one had taken before.

It was challenging, but looking back, that path held something unique to me alone.

Last week, using this perspective, I participated in two markets, Yungaburra and Mission Beach, that I would have normally canceled.

Both of them had rain even before departure, and the first market was practically rainy throughout.
The next market was a two-hour drive away. Setting off at 4 am in the morning, I drove through heavy rain.
Though I felt apprehensive, I decided to give it a try no matter what. There might be something there. Even if there's nothing, I might realize something later. With that in mind, I set up shop at both markets.

The results were surprisingly wonderful, even beyond my expectations.
The encounter that stood out was at the Mission Beach Market.
One person was Yuki san from Japan, and the others I met were Romy and Heath, who lived in Mission Beach. Romy had even done a student exchange in Hokuriku, Japan.
When I tried to introduce the ZEN OF CAT book, suddenly, Yuki san said she knew me!

It turned out she knew about the event we did with Hironobu Fujiwara in Cairns.
I never expected to meet her in Mission Beach, far away from Cairns. Truly, I felt a mysterious connection.

While easy choices often yield expected outcomes, choosing a seemingly difficult path can lead to something beyond imagination.

I want to make the remaining precious time into a period where interesting and stimulating "somethings" happen.

どこかで聞いた話。
目の前に道が二つある。ひとつは誰かか通った道。もうひとつはまだだれも通っていない道。
私は誰も通っていない道を選んだ。
困難であったが、振り返るとそのこには私だけの道があった。

先週はこの考え方で、今までであればキャンセルした二つのマーケット（ヤンガバラとミッションビーチ）に参加した。

どちらも出発前から雨が降り、実際に最初のマーケットはほぼ雨が降り続けた。
次のマーケットは車で二時間かかる場所。出発は朝４時と早い中、激しい雨の中車を走らせた。
不安はあったが、とにかく決めたことをやってみよう。そこには何かあるかもしれない。何もなくても、もっと後になったら気づくこともあるかもしれない。そう思って二つのマーケットに出店した。

結果は、自分でもびっくりするぐらいに素敵な出会いがあった。
特に印象的だったのは、ミッションビーチマーケットでの出会い。
一人は日本人の方でゆきさん、一緒にいたロミーとヒースはミッションビーチに住み、ロミーは北陸で交換留学をしたことがあったそう。
そこで、ZEN OF CAT本を紹介しようとすると、突然、ゆきさんが僕のことを知ってる！というのです。

それは、藤原ひろのぶさんのお話し会をケアンズでまさよさんとやったことを知っていたのです。
まさかケアンズから離れたミッションビーチで、お会いすることになろうとは。
本当に、不思議な縁を感じました。

イージーな選択をすると想定内の結果となることが多いけど、一見困難な選択をすると、想像を超えた何かが起きる可能性があるとも言えるのですね。

残る貴重な時間は、興味深く、刺激的な「なにか」が起きる時間にしたいなと思いました。