Hello, hello my creative friends. I hope you’re all doing well.
Today I decided I want to start a new notebook to write down things I’m grateful for every day.
I have never done this before so… “why now?” I hear you ask. Well, I’ve always tried not to complaint (much) about my everyday life, but it has happened to me that I felt unhappy for one reason or another and thought maybe I was being unlucky. Well, last night I finished reading a book that made me stop and really think about my life and how I should approach it.
The story in the book was fictional of course, but it could have been true, and it was very powerful. The book I’m talking about is “The Travelling Cat Chronicles” by Hiro Arikawa. I’ve never read Japanese authors before but maybe I should do so more often, although I cried for most of the second part of the book, and I’m not usually someone that does that!
If you’ve read the book, you’ll know what I’m talking about; if you haven’t read it, I warmly encourage you to do so, especially if you’re a cat lover like me.
I don’t want to spoil it for you if you want to read the book, but essentially, it’s the story of the cat Nana (so named because his tail resembles the Japanese character for the number seven) and his owner Satoru.
Part of the story is told from Nana’s point of view (I love Nana’s funny and sometimes sarcastic comments); he was a stray cat who loved sitting on Satoru’s silver van. Through some circumstance I won’t mention, he ends up living with Satoru. Then, after a few years, he and Satoru go on a journey that takes them across Japan to visit three old friends of Satoru; Nana doesn’t really know why and Satoru is not telling the reason either.
But Nana is just happy he can be with his beloved owner and see the breath-taking scenery of Japan’s countryside in the changing seasons and learn all about horses and red berries and snow!
My own beloved cat, Stellina. Another reason to be grateful…
This book is about strong friendship, and solitude and, to me, it also had a strong message to be grateful for what we have because it is always much more that what we think; and if we look at life that way then we can truly be happy with what we already have.
It’s not a huge book and I read it in a couple of days, but I think it’s the kind of book that everyone should read at least once in their lifetimes. It made me grateful for my family, my friends, my health, my cat, and the chance I now have to do a job I love. It made me grateful for the life I have.
Have you read this book? What do think? Or maybe you have read books from other Japanese authors? Do let me know in the comments if you have and the titles so I can read them too 😊
Till next time
Create and be happy (and grateful)
Katia xox