Thinking on the day of the earthquake, Yuzo Kayama gives a talk,

        "I am provided with power if I endure adversity."

　I’ve experienced adverse circumstances such as "the devil slope 魔坂" many times in my 77 years. At the age of 33, my uncle’s hotel went bankrupt and I had debt of over a  hundred million yen. I experienced sharing rice with raw egg with my wife. 4 years later, while I was ski gliding, I collided with the snow pressure car which was pulling me up hill and I thought that I would die. In addition, compared to others, I’ve had various affairs in my life bringing extreme highs and lows. Everyone has lows and has to do things he descent. But my feeling about past experience is that even if I say that I came to adversity, I am the most responsible for it by far. When experiencing a low, it’s easy  to ask, “ Why me? And blame others, but we shouldn't do it. My foot trembles like a boat dashed against a storm in a sea that gets rougher and rougher. I think I will die, but I grasp the rudder at a critical life or death moment. As for debt, when you can stand and somehow bear the difficulties with the right effort the money can be returned."

　My confrontations with adverse circumstances have led me to think about the size of the heart. The heart resembles a ship. The heart of the youth is overturned by just mildly  stormy weather like a small ship. However, if I fail and repeat the experience, and my heart becomes a big ship, I understand that some waves are okay. In a trial, you must not think that it is no use. Manage it. Enduring it, devising it and getting over angry waves provides power in itself. Still, despair and thoughts such as " It is like that, and it is no use" may arise. But I make an effort desperately to stand up from adverse circumstances. Helpful people sometimes leave our lives, but help always appear again. It may leave us wondering, "Is it really true?” The encounter may change ones life from the root. Sometimes young people feel cornered and hopeless and may end up killing oneself or taking the life of another. For example, is the big adverse circumstance surrounding them bullying? Bullying is unreasonable and full of cowardice. Still I cannot keep on enduring and enduring it. You must know that pain and wear courage effort and  forbearance. You must not die. Of course I’ve experienced hard pains that felt like I’d die. Because trials are destined you must face and confront them. Also, you must not forget to take good care of others. With only one or two friends and loved ones, your heart does not have to lose room.

　Then, dreams always come true, I believe.

                                                                                                              From Asahi Shinbun Jan. 8, 2015