As I wrote in a previous post, Japan was defeated in WWII in 1945, and in 1956 Japanese government stated “it is no longer a post-war period”. And then Japan experienced rapid economic growth. But at that time, some Japanese soldiers ware still “fighting” in Southeast Asian countries. As some internet news announced, a former Japanese soldier, Mr. Hiroo Onoda, died at the age of 91. He had hidden in a jungle in the Philippines for about 30 years after the war ended, and came back to Japan in 1974. As I wrote in an old post, Japanese soldiers were taught that surrendering was a shame and worse than death, and this is why he had not surrendered for three decades.
One of some impressive facts, according to the internet article, is that he did not think the 30 years was a waste of time. That experience formed his life after surrendering.
How about me? What have formed myself today? I often wonder which has been longer, happy periods or tragic periods. After adolescent, tragic periods have been way longer, I think. But I do not dislike myself. As I wrote in that previous post, what did not kill me made me a little stronger. Of course those periods ware, at least physically, not as harsh as hiding myself in a jungle for decades. But it makes me myself anyway. Why do I talk about it now?? Because I am experiencing another harsh period in the current “temporary” day-time job. Anyways, let’s see how the looser will fail.
May Mr. Hiroo Onoda rest in peace.