Oh!

Oh!

I've always experienced intense connections to things and places.  I assume everyone feels these connections or attachments.  A rock, a plant, a place, a view - I'm not sure why but certain things, not all, evoke an emotion that I never could quite put my finger on.  In each city I have lived in there were certain sweet spots I stumbled upon that left me with a deep sense of satisfaction - a feeling that would soak into my mind without my being particularly aware of it.  But when I found those spots there was no mistaking it.  These were My Spots.  It's the same with certain rocks I will come across on a beach or a mountain or in a river.  As soon as I see it I recognize it as the rock.  I have a collection of them from all over the world.  It wasn't until recently that I discovered that the Japanese have a word, or words, for the feelings I experienced.  They call it mono no aware.

Mono no aware (mono-no-a-whar-ee) literally means

• things (mono)
• of (no)
• emotion (aware)

 Mono no aware is sometimes translated as "sensibility" and the awareness of and responsiveness toward something.  To the Japanese it often means acceptance of the inherent sadness of life or the feelings generated by ephemeral beauty.  Westerners may describe this as wistfulness.  I think of it as being connected to nature and all things. The cherry blossoms are the perfect symbol of mono no aware.  After a long winter they burst into radiant beauty for a short life followed by a quick demise.  Isn't all beauty transitory?  Even our sun will burn out in a few billion years!  But isn't it beautiful?

After discovering the concept of mono no aware I picked up a novel by Todd Shimoda called "Oh!: A mystery of mono no aware".  By means of an entertaining and thought-provoking novel Shimoda, a Japanese-American tells the story of a young Japanese-American's discovery of the concept while living in Japan for a few months.  It's a beautifully produced book with art by Linda Shimoda, Todd's wife.

Most Japanese today don't know what mono no aware is.  The idea was introduced in literary circles in the 17th century but has largely disappeared in modern Japan.  Today's Japanese are subjected to non-stop stimuli from commercial messages, media, games and mobile phones.  They are profoundly desensitized.  Most walk around staring at smart phone screens, ignoring the people around them, completely absorbed by text messages, games or anime.   But I know what it is and will be exploring it more deeply.