Importance of Innocence

By Mistuo Aida (1924-91). . .

Because it had lived its life intensely

the parched grass still attracts the gaze of passer by.

The flowers merely flower,

and they do this as well as they can.

The white lily, blooming unseen in the valley,

Does not need to explain itself to anyone,

It lives merely for beauty.

Men, however, cannot accept that ‘merely’.

If tomatoes wanted to be melons,

they would look completely ridiculous.

I am always amazed

that so many people are concerned

with wanting to be what they are not;

what’s the point of making yourself look ridiculous?

You don’t always have to pretend to be strong,

there’s no need to prove all the time that

everything is going well,

you shouldn’t be concerned about what

other people are thinking,

cry if you need to,

its good to cry out all your tears

(because only then will you be able to smile again)

[Translated by Paul Coelho in his book ‘Like the Flowing River’]