For instance, the two ideographs that form arigato, “thank you”, literally mean “this came into existence with difficulty”. Behind everything we receive, use or possess, the bonze went on, lie difficulties overcome by great effort. Shigoto, ”work”, is made of two ideographs meaning “something that is a service”. All are the beneficiaries of countless other “workers”, and we owe it to the community to do our own job well, not primarily for material recompense but out of gratitude. This was the boy’s introduction to Japan’s famous work ethic. Nagai the Christian recalled his mother’s gentle
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