Daily Reminder

Summary

The web content describes a unique, old, red Christmas card depicting a torii gate, which serves as a daily reminder for the author to embrace change and save for future travels to Japan.

Abstract

The article discusses a distinctive item on the author's desk: an old, red Christmas card from Tokyo. This card features a torii gate, a traditional Japanese gate that marks the transition from the ordinary to the sacred. The image on the card invites the author to let go of what no longer serves them and to be open to new experiences. The card is a blend of the real, represented by the torii, and the imaginative, with scenes of Santa Claus figures enjoying daily life. It acts as a daily prompt for the author to stay alert to new discoveries and to continue saving money for another journey to Japan.

Opinions

The author values the symbolism of the torii gate as a threshold between the mundane and the sacred.
The Christmas card is more than a decorative item; it holds sentimental value and serves as a tangible connection to the author's memories of visiting Shinto shrines in Japan.
The card inspires the author to maintain a balance between reality and imagination, suggesting a philosophical approach to daily life.
The author expresses a desire to return to Japan, indicating that the card also functions as a motivational tool for financial savings.

Prompt: What’s a unique item sitting on your desk?

Photo taken by Thalia Dunn

Old, red Christmas card, torii as its focal point calls me to enter; release what no longer works and to welcome what unfolds.

A torii (Japanese: 鳥居, [to.ɾi.i]) is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred.

Torii — Wikipedia

Sitting on my desk is a Christmas card from Tokyo linking me to memories of visiting gorgeous Shinto shrines in Japan.

The card is a perfect blend of reality and imagination; the majesty of the traditional gate as well as the fanciful Santas relaxing and enjoying their daily life.

Every time I look at it, as I click on my monitor, it calls me to keep alert and ready for something new to discover.

On the pragmatic side, it reminds me to keep saving my pennies (should I say yen?) for another trip back to Japan!

POETRY

Daily Reminder

Prompt: What’s a unique item sitting on your desk?

Torii — Wikipedia