THE BEAUTY THAT THE WORLD CONTAINS

A message came to my husband today from our dear friend, Yoram. Nick suggested I post it.

Just a wee one to send you the extract below, from Natsume Soseki’s Kokoro, a seminal work of modern Japanese literature from the early twentieth century:

‘In a flash, my whole world changed. When I was sixteen or seventeen, my sudden discovery of beauty in the world had stunned me. Many times I rubbed my eyes in sheer disbelief, and doubted my own eyes, while my heart exclaimed, “Ah, how beautiful!” At that age boys and girls alike attain what is commonly called sensuality. In this new state, I was for the first time able to see women as representative of the beauty that the world contains. My eyes, until then quite blind to this beauty in the opposite sex, sprang open, and from that moment my universe was transformed.’

Just that line – to see women as representative of the beauty that the world contains – so simple yet powerful.

Thank you so much, Yoram. Beautiful words, stay safe, and much love, Susie x