There Is No Waste of Time in Life

On the last day of work, I shared my favorite quote with my colleagues;

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines.

Sail away from the safe harbor.

Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover. 

– Mark Twain

Mark Twain is an American famous writer, and wrote “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” etc.

Actually, I don’t like to read a book since I was a kid.

Then why do I know of Mark Twain?

Because I majored in English and English literature at junior college in Kagoshima before studying in US.

 

When I was 18 years old when choosing college to apply, I didn’t care much about the curriculum as long as I can study English.

The high school I attended was not like the top high school in Kyoto, but my class had advanced English programs for students who want to prepare for college study.

I had the programs for 3 years in high school.

So I thought those study environment was normal, and studying in junior college would be more advanced.

However, once I entered the junior college, speaking/listening English classes were just 2 times a week, and other classes were reading and discussing about English novel.

As I mentioned earlier, I don’t like to read at all.

So I went back to my home in Kyoto for summer vacation and complained to my mother.

 

Me:

The classes in junior college are not like I imagined.

Spending time in class is totally waste for me and won’t be useful for my future.

I don’t wanna go back to Kagoshima.

I should go study abroad now.

 

Mother:

I see.

You think “it is waste of time” now, but I’m sure it would be useful in some way one day in the future.

Stopping/quitting/leaving is very easy.

Keep doing is hard but makes something meaningful.

Think your current life will connect to something in the future, and go back to Kagoshima again.

 

At the time, I felt “why didn’t she understand me?!”

But now I really appreciate what she told me.

My English literature knowledge is not directly helping my current life, though I could study abroad in US for 2 years because I could transfer my credits from the junior college.

And I met my husband in US too.

I sometime remember my mother’s words even after I started working.

My career was not always perfect.

I have faced many difficulties and experienced the hard time like I didn’t want to go to work at all.

 

For example, my 2nd job was not my ideal working environment.

However, I had enough time to think about myself.

“Why did I come back to Japan?

I though I could do something for people with disabilities in Japan…”

After I remembered my purpose, I started searching a volunteer work for people with disabilities, and soon found Co-Co Life magazine which I currently work as a volunteer work.

Through Co-Co Life, I got to know so many people and my life became more fun.

And those experiences led me to the next stage, researching in US.

 

I will remember the words my mother told me in the future too.

And I believe the words will always give me courage to move forward in my life.