Today, I feel a little restless.
Whenever something big is about to begin, there is always a strange feeling. It feels exciting, a little frightening, and still somehow difficult to put into words. For the first time in a while, I find myself in the middle of that feeling.
Until now, Hitotsuya has worked on so many different things: dyeing, weaving, farming, the workshop, classes and workshops, the website, and building new systems⋯. Of course, not everything has gone smoothly. In fact, I sometimes feel that we have spent more time hesitating, stumbling, and stopping than moving forward.
Even so, recently I have begun to feel that those hesitations and failures may not have been mere detours. The things I struggled with in the past, the things I could not do well, and the things I had to rethink again and again — each one seems to be connected to the decisions I am making now.
There is a phrase that we value deeply at Hitotsuya.
It is this: “Turn past hesitation into future wisdom!”
Right now, I feel as if I am confirming the meaning of those words through my own life.
For certain work-related reasons, I will be traveling to Maebashi City in Gunma Prefecture for three days and two nights starting tomorrow. It is a business trip, not a relaxing journey, but since it has been a long time since I traveled alone, I would like to use the time on the road to think deeply. What should Hitotsuya become from here? How far will I end up going? And what do I want to do with everything we have built up until now⋯?
So, which way should I leap!? I have not decided anything yet. Just like this frog⋯.
Still, I want to leave this record here: right now, I am standing just before a turning point.