The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossoms
by Maria Popova“If you give up, it’s all over.”
A piece of existential poetry for your weekend: Japan’s most beloved flower began blooming a month after the devastating disaster.
Even when the flower falls, we love it. That’s the heart of the Japanese person. Flowers dying is not a sad thing.”
(What a lyrical way to capture the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, which has no direct translation in English but connotes a way of living that finds beauty in imperfection and accepts the natural cycle of growth and decay.)
From award-winning British director Lucy Walker of Waste Land fame.
via Doobybrain
Donating = Loving
In 2011, bringing you (ad-free) Brain Pickings took more than 5,000 hours. If you found any joy and stimulation here this year, please consider a modest donation.

















