Sermon: Koike Haruto's Essays "The Importance of Relying on Others - Independence is Increasing the Number of People to Depend on" Psychologist Brené Brown has been listening to the experiences of people from all over the world, from 18 to 87 years old, in various situations, for over 10 years, to study human behavior patterns. Her vast data showed that there are people all over the world who are living vibrant and fulfilling lives, regardless of how many weaknesses they have or how unfortunate their circumstances are. And the only thing these people have in common is that they believe they are worthy of being loved just as they are. This seems to be related to the teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha, who taught that all living beings, including humans, are the most precious beings themselves. I think that "Tenjo Tenka Yuiga Dokuson" means acknowledging that every being is an irreplaceable life the moment they are born into this world. I think it means acknowledging that life is precious, regardless of position, ability, family background, etc. If this basic premise is overlooked, various problems may arise. Not long ago, a fourth-grader, Mia Kurihara, died as a result of abuse by her father. He did not feed her and poured cold water over her, leading to her death. It was such a despicable incident that I am speechless when I imagine how scared Mia must have been at the time. The news pointed out the problems with the child consultation center, which sent Mia home despite the risk to her life. It may be true that the child consultation center's response was poor. However, considering the number of staff working there, the working hours, the working environment, and the number of reports of abuse, which have increased tenfold compared to ten years ago, I do not think that the problem can be solved by placing the responsibility solely on the child consultation center. Mia's father had a good attitude at work and did not seem like the type of person who would abuse children. This is just my imagination, but I think that this man's attitude changed depending on his position. This seems to be the case because he was humble at work, but abused weaker children when he got home. I can't help but think that it would be better if we could recognize our children as precious individuals before the relationship between parents and children. Children are not the property of their parents. It is natural for parents to want their children to grow up like this. However, I think that there is a danger that this feeling will eventually change to wanting to make their children the way they want them to be. The stronger the feeling that "it has to be like this," the greater the danger. The higher the ideals a person has, the stronger the obsession that cannot tolerate failure, which creates an obsession, and this often becomes the cause of self-torment. In addition to the strength of obsession, I think that another problem with such difficulty in living is that we cannot express our weaknesses. Today, things have become very convenient, and we can live without interacting with others. With the Internet, we can shop without even taking a step outside. This convenience has eliminated bothersome human relationships. As long as you have money, you can live on your own. In such a society, the meaning of "independence" seems to be something like "living without relying on anyone." I think many people have a subconscious that "asking for help from someone is shameful." In the poor times, I think everyone lived by supporting each other, with the understanding that "we're all in the same boat when times are tough." Connections between people were what kept us alive. In modern times, in exchange for convenience, we have lost those connections, and there is no one to share our pain and suffering with, which I can't help but think is creating social isolation and being a major factor in problems such as suicide and abuse. Psychiatrist Toshihiko Matsumoto says, "Independence is not about not relying on others, but about increasing the number of people you rely on. Independence is not about gritting your teeth and working hard alone without complaining to anyone. True independence is about making as many supporters as possible. And the greatest act of self-harm is "not asking for help." Each of us should increase the number of people around us who can support each other without hiding our own weaknesses. In this way, both the supporter and the person being supported can believe that they are worthy of being loved just as they are, which will lead to a vibrant and fulfilling life. ************************************** ■If you would like to listen to this sermon on "Spotify", please click here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/sh... [What is Spotify?] Spotify is a streaming service that allows you to enjoy music and audio lib