Dear Reader,

What time of the year was the hardest for you?

If you asked this question in Japan, many people will respond May– in fact, it’s so prevalent that there is a informal sickness called gogatsu byou (五月病) or “Maytime Sickness”.

Why May? This is because in Japan, around early springtime students often graduate, start their first jobs, begin a new year of school, or move away from home for the first time. This period is known to be a time where many people begin new lifestyles, and is often seen as a big life milestone.

While exciting, a new lifestyle brings new stresses, and some people struggle adjusting. Over time, the initial eagerness dissipates, and it’s common for people to begin to long for their old lives.

By the time May comes around, many people begin to feel lethargic, easily tired, unmotivated, and generally unexcited by life. This is “Maytime Sickness”.

Even if you’re not from Japan, maybe you’ve felt something similar before. Spring is known as the season of change, and it’s common for people to embark on new journeys, make big lifestyle changes, or take on ambitious challenges.

But if the change is not always easy, we may find ourselves disheartened. How do we cope?

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The value of everything as temporary

In Japan, it is common to cope with change by reflecting on mono no aware, an idea which encapsulates the bittersweet realization that nothing is made to last forever.

Taken at face value, it may be translated as a melancholic feeling, but most Japanese would explain that it’s not simply about being sad.

In the idea of mono no aware, there is a strong sense of gratitude, appreciation for the moment, and a strange sense of satisfaction in what makes the moment beautiful is that it is only temporary.

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Change is challenging, but the fact that everything is impermanent is what allows us to feel greater appreciation for the present moment.

If we don’t appreciate life as fleeting, we can never find the time to pay attention to the things that actually bring us joy. We become comfortable spending our time worrying, overworking, and in some cases, idealizing the past.

But while today may not feel perfect, there is probably something in the present that you may be longing for a few years later.

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The good times pass as do the bad days, and the beautiful moments can be just as fleeting as the unremarkable ones. Spring can be a refreshing reminder that everything in life is always temporary.

So remind yourself that whatever the future may bring, it will be temporary: the good, the bad, the terrible, the wonderful.

Perhaps then, it will be easier for us to spend more time in the present moment.

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Warm regards,

Kaki

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Some recommended readings

• I recently helped edit a piece on omotenashi by Nik Goeke. It's a fun piece, and appropriately titled "Omotenashi: How the Japanese Remind Us We Deserve to Be Happy". He's a great writer, and I also learned a bit from his story 😊
• I don't know why, but one of my old pieces titled "14 things about living healthfully I've learned from life in Japan" started becoming popular again-- read the article for free if you missed it.
• I enjoyed this read by John P. Weiss, titled "I'm a Loser". Contrary to the title, it's pretty comforting and I love the accompanied photos.

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