How do you celebrate holidays?

When I saw the prompt “How do you celebrate holidays?”, the first thing that came to mind wasn’t fireworks, parties, or trips.

It was Namie Amuro’s classic love song CAN YOU CELEBRATE?.

Maybe it’s a bit off-topic, but the mood of that song perfectly matches how I feel about celebrating holidays.

To me, holidays don’t have to be loud or extravagant.

They are moments to slow down,

to quietly feel—

gratitude for the people around me,

gratitude for the paths I’ve walked,

and gratitude that I can still spend this time with those who matter most.

The atmosphere of CAN YOU CELEBRATE? isn’t noisy; it’s gentle and tender.

And for me, that’s what holidays are—

an inner celebration,

without flashy ceremonies,

just a quiet certainty:

we can keep walking together.

Write about your most epic baking or cooking fail.

I once baked a loaf of bread that turned completely black.

The golden dream I imagined came out as a heavy lesson.

Later, I tried a coffee cake.

I poured in plenty of real coffee powder,

yet what came out carried no fragrance—only a quiet bitterness.

Some suggested adding flavoring, to make it smell right.

I didn’t reject the idea,

but I chose to stay with what was real.

Perhaps that’s what baking reminds me of:

it’s not about perfection,

but about finding the taste I’m willing to keep

between the black and the faint.

Not every loaf needs to be golden, not every cake needs to smell perfect.

What matters is the taste you choose to keep.

Share a lesson you wish you had learned earlier in life.

When I was a kid, I used to watch Chibi Maruko-chan.

Her older sister once said, “Life is always full of regrets.”

Back then, I thought it was just a teenager being overly dramatic.

Now I see how true it is.

Life is nothing but endless choices, and we can never be certain if another path would have been better.

Was my effort wasted? Was my decision right? No one can answer that.

But here’s what I finally understand:

If I put thought into my choices, then even when the outcome hurts, it leaves only regret’s gentler cousin—a quiet sense of what might have been, not the weight of what should not have been.

Too often, I was impatient.

Too quick to act without thinking.

If only I had learned earlier that slowing down is not weakness—it is wisdom.

When I was a child, the answer was obvious—anything sweet would instantly win my heart.

But once you pass forty, things get more complicated. You start to weigh health, habits, and even practice a bit of self-suggestion, reminding yourself to stay away from what isn’t good for you.

These days, my favorite foods shift with the moment.

When life allows, I enjoy a fine meal of steak or fresh seafood in a pleasant setting.

On hot days, nothing beats a chilled matcha drink or matcha ice.

When the weather turns cold, a steaming bowl of grass jelly soup is just right.

And from time to time, I find myself craving an authentic bowl of Japanese ramen.

Still, one truth remains:

no matter how delicious the food, the best taste comes from sharing it with the one you love. ❤️

How often do you walk or run?

“How often do you walk or run?”

At first, it sounds like a question about exercise.

But I believe it carries something deeper.

Maybe it is asking:

In the rush of life, how often do I pause,

and let my feet touch the ground of reality?

Maybe it is reminding me:

How often do I care for my body,

and let my breath and heartbeat return to a natural rhythm?

Or perhaps it is questioning:

When pressure builds,

do I run to release,

or walk to reflect?

Walking and running are not just actions.

They are mirrors of life.

They show how I connect with the world,

and how I relate to myself.

More importantly,

to keep a healthy body and a steady mind,

so I can face the future with calm and strength.

Do you see yourself as a leader?

Recently, I was fortunate to be promoted to a leadership role.

To be honest, not much has changed.

Colleagues still come to me with their problems,

and I must now stand by my own decisions.

A good leader, perhaps, is simply this:

to move forward with a goal,

to take responsibility for what is undecided,

and to carry wisdom along the way.

It reminds me of traveling abroad.

At first, I led everyone in finding the way,

but being unfamiliar with the city, I took the wrong path.

(And trust me, you don’t want to wander blindly

through the maze of Japanese subway stations.)

Even a child had to correct me.

But soon, I regained focus,

and the rest of the journey went on the right track.

Failure is never the end.

Rising again is where leadership begins.

What’s your favorite word?

At first, the word that came to mind was “money.”

Money isn’t everything, but without it, nothing moves.

Risky business always finds someone.

A losing business finds no one.

But when I think deeper, my favorite word is 「福」 (Fú).

Money can solve a moment,

but 福 steadies a lifetime.

It is peace, it is abundance.

It is restful sleep at dawn,

shared laughter at the table,

a hand to hold in times of pain.

Money shifts with the market,

with the rise and fall of people’s hearts.

福, instead, is something I can hold within.

Gratitude brings it.

Generosity multiplies it.

To cherish the moment—this itself is 福.

Not every stubborn person is hard to get along with.

Sometimes, having a clear stand simply makes them predictable.

The real red flag shows up when stubbornness comes with constant misunderstanding and endless nitpicking.

When someone insists on their own view not out of principle, but out of refusal to listen, that’s when it turns into trouble.

Another red flag is when people cross physical boundaries.

Getting too handsy is not playfulness, it is disrespect.

If someone can’t understand where the line is, trust becomes impossible.

And while I notice these signs in others, I also remind myself not to become one of them—choosing integrity, openness, and a heart willing to listen.