The Graveyard Apartment

by Mariko Koike

He just felt a soul-deep craving to find a place where he was truly, entirely at home. It gave him a hollow, empty feeling to think that maybe there was no such place, and never would be—not even in the bosom of his family, whom he loved with all his heart. There were times when the almost cosmic feelings of emptiness and loneliness seemed to threaten to suck him into an existential whirlpool. At moments like that, he would usually crack a joke to hide his true emotions.

You had to let children get a few scrapes and bruises, and deal with some unpleasant experiences; that was a natural part of growing up. It was their duty as parents to try to avoid burdening their daughter with a long list of taboos derived from their own fears and concerns.

Fear begets fear, and regret breeds more regret. Once you invite those emotions in, they will flourish in your damaged heart, like a kind of sickness, and you’ll start to feel perpetually dissatisfied with your situation, while your life force ebbs away and your mind becomes permanently warped. No regrets, no fear, no guilt, hard work, and a relentlessly positive attitude: That’s the recipe for a happy life.