I experienced, twice in my life, extremely harsh circumstances where I suffered an agony of despair: the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and an traffic accident I was involved.

I didn’t realize in those days but I learned many lessons from the tragedies. I saw much more sparkling white stones than many black stones that had agonized me.

When I was overwhelmed by the agony, I found many people standing nearby me. They called themselves useless but listened to my complains with tears in their eyes. Their style of presence is called Bei-Sein in Logotherapy.

Our life is sometimes filled with so deep distress that we cannot endure it by ourselves. If someone stays nearby us, we will be able to endure such sufferings to live a positive life.

I met unfortunate events but I myself was never unfortunate. I had given a lot of true kindness, tendresse and sincerity while I saw as much hypocrisy, disgrace and dishonesty, I could differentiate them correctly through my transparent eyes that are given only to those in agony as Frankl told.

If I had not met the tragedies, I could not know what support is necessary. I will try to stand nearby those in sufferings.