I've had health problems since last month.   They are numbness of fingers and toes, occasional headache, and throbbing.

So I went to the hospital for checkup and found nothing wrong.  To my surprise, after I heard my health condition was actually good, all the pain and numbness didn't bother me.

 

Last Friday, it happened again.

I had chest pain during the opening service of ministers' meeting and Rev. Nakano and  Rev. John took me to the Emergency room at Kuakini.  I thought I might die, but I am lucky I'm still living here to write about this.  Pain was gone by the time I got to the hospital and I was able to participate in the HCJM Convention after six hours of testing my blood, lung and heart.  They concluded I was negative about heart attack and lung.   I just need to follow up with a doctor in Kauai.

 

At the HCJM Convention, we had a chance to practice a song titled "Inochi no Riyuu", meaning "The Reason of Life."    This song was written and composed by a famous Japanese singer, Masahi Sada.   This was very timely for me because I was looking back over the past and thiking about my life in the future at the hospital.

 

As you may know, this song is known as a theme song of "800th Grand Anniversary of the founder of Jodoshu, Honen Shonin" and it was Jodoshu who asked Mr. Sada to create a song to commemorate Honen Shonin.   According to Mr. Sada, these lyrics are his understanding of the teachings of Honen Shonin after thinking the reasons why he was born.  

 

What I thought was there should be many reasons why I was born.   Some reasons are to do good.  Some reasons are bad.   The reasons of life are not always good, but I do want to believe "Everyone was born in order to be happy." 

 

And another important message of this song is ...... it is always "I"  who can have a good reason why I was born and it is always "you" in the present moment who can have a good reason why you were born.

 

Inochi no Riyuu /The Reason of Life

 

Lyrics and Music by Masashi Sada

 

The reason why I was born is

 

To meet my father and my mother.

 

The reason why I was born is

 

To meet my brothers and sisters.

 

The reason why I was born is

 

To meet all my friends.

 

The reason why I was born is

 

To meet my beloved darling.

 

 

 

Just like when spring comes,

 

Flowers naturally bloom.

 

Just like when fall comes,

 

Leaves naturally fall down.

 

So dear friends,

 

In order to be happy,

 

Everyone was born.

 

After the sadness of flower,

 

There will be fruit of joy.

 

 

 

The reason why I was born is　

 

I hurt somebody somewhere.

 

The reason why I was born is

 

I am hurt by somebody somewhere.

 

The reason why I was born is

 

I am helped and saved by somebody somewhere.

 

The reason why I was born is

 

I help and save somebody somewhere.

 

 

Just like when night falls,

 

Darkness naturally overcome everything.

 

Just like when morning comes,

 

Light naturally shines everything.

 

So dear friends,

 

In order to be happy,

 

Everybody was born.

 

From the ocean of sadness,

 

High tide of Joy is coming.

 

 

The reason why I was born is

 

To meet my beloved darling.

 

The reason why I was born is

 

To love and protect my beloved darling.

 

（Inochi no Riyuu/The Reason of Life)

 

Last, I want to thank all the ministers and friends who gave me kind words of concern about my health.  Especially I am so thankful to Rev. John Hara who had been acompanied with me at the emergency room for 6 hours.