The value of everything as temporary
What to do when you’re always longing for the past
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What time of the year is the hardest?
If you asked this question in Japan, many people will respond May– in fact, it’s so prevalent that there is a informal sickness called gogatsu byou (五月病) or “Maytime Sickness”.
Why May? This is because in Japan, around early springtime students often graduate, start their first jobs, begin a new year of school, or move away from home for the first time. This period is known to be a time where many people begin new lifestyles, and is often seen as a big life milestone.
While exciting, a new lifestyle brings new stresses, and some people struggle adjusting. Over time, the initial eagerness dissipates, and it’s common for people to begin to long for their old lives.
By the time May comes around, many people begin to feel lethargic, easily tired, unmotivated, and generally unexcited by life. This is “Maytime Sickness”.
Even if you’re not from Japan, maybe you’ve felt something similar before. Spring is known as the season of change, and it’s common for people to embark on new journeys, make big lifestyle changes, or take on ambitious challenges.
But if the change is not always easy, we may find ourselves disheartened. How do we cope?
The value of everything as temporary
In Japan, it is common to cope with change by reflecting on mono no aware, an idea which encapsulates the bittersweet realization that nothing is made to last forever.
Taken at face value, it may be translated as a melancholic feeling, but most Japanese would explain that it’s not simply about being sad.
In the idea of mono no aware, there is a strong sense of gratitude, appreciation for the moment, and a strange sense of satisfaction in what makes the moment beautiful is that it is only temporary.
