Two women

You know last year I spoke about a girl who's mom was trying to work and look after her because since she was a baby, her mom divorced her dad? Last year was a really bad year and so was this. The mom is trying to hold down 2 jobs and at the same time trying to put the little girl to school and so on... The finances are always shaky because the mom does not earn very much and what little she earns goes into food, rent and so on... But in Japan, people have pride. It is different from ego... Ego is what you think you can be, have been or want to be. Pride is internal, it is what you know you are and have been. So we have pride and we do not like to be called "poor things". So what if someone looks at us with pitiful eyes and says poor thing, it will not bring food to the table. So what if people give a little here and there? Sooner or later, we will have to return it to those who gave us favour.

So me and my wife are trying to help by giving them treats, bringing them for buffet meals so that the little one can eat all she wants with as little cost as possible, and we will give them rice and other essentials. In a way, I also live my life and family this way. Little tina wears a lot of hand me downs. The reason for this is because buying clothes is not really an option. They outgrow their clothes so fast.

For me, I feel that in life, we are what we make ourselves to be. If we live with ego, we will come to a fall, but if we live with pride, we are happier people.