"It is said that much sake, self-pride, and luxury are to be avoided by a samurai. There is no cause for anxiety when you are unhappy, but when you become a little elated, these three things become dangerous. Look at the human condition. It is unseemly for a person to become prideful and extravagant when things are going well. Therefore, it is better to have some unhappiness while one is still young, for if a person does not experience some bitterness, his disposition will not settle down. A person who becomes fatigued when unhappy is useless.
When I opened the book this morning, this is the first passage I saw. For some reason it really struck home. Things can be easy when life is going well. It may become easy for one to forget their way or to forget to keep progressing. When a person is unhappy or discontent, it may be easier for them to struggle, to push forward to that new plateau. This period of unhappiness in my life need not be such a bad thing. It has given me a lot of time to focus on things. I am training harder than I have in years. I am quite alone, but perhaps that is what I need in my life right now. The rest of the world will come and go, but this struggle must always continue. Even when this period in my life passes, I need to remember these feelings. I cannot let myself become complacent lest I fall back.
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