MEMORY (The MUSEUM of ART, Kochi 1999/3)

The word "senior power" has recently become the subject of our conversation.
I can't help feeling it my own matter, now that I am getting forgetful and in poor condition.
I feel daily that senility is advancing slowly but steadily.

However, I think "senior power" fundamentally means the power to live being natural to ourselves.
To accept ourselves as we are affirmatively is the first step to it.
It begins with accepting ourselves, who are weak or miserable, as nothing but our real thing.

And it is important to get free of the way of thinking that "we must do that" which has bound us so far.
I believe it gives us an unstrained start with anything, if we have a plan to do what we really want to do or spend time comfortably.

We have continued running so earnestly without looking around in the latter half of the 20th Century.
And when we casually look back, we are made to realize that here is abundance materially only.
We are confused surrounded by a plenty of things with our heart dissatisfied feeling something missing.
I think now is the time for facing what it is that we really look for.
Being young gives us an illusion that we are full of possibilities and limitless in ourselves.

But we are made to face ourselves as we are, whether we like it or not, by adding to our age yearly and surely.
It seems to me relating to happiness in the latter half of our life from now on how positively we accept this fact.

I would like to return to the principle of the way of thinking that "I am myself".