Others first

Here are some more reflections from my desk in Japan.

Every day I notice gestures of consideration: store assistants gladly engaging in long and detailed conversations with translation apps on our phones, people thanking and apologising profusely, and sincerely so it seems.

Respect is also evident in the total absence of litter or even litter bins for that matter. Japanese people take their rubbish home with them. 

And nowhere in Europe have I seen such clean public toilets, or so many of them for that matter.

You can hear a pin drop on public transport, and I was surprised by the hushed tones of the chatter in parks among the densely packed picnickers in Tokyo’s Yoyogi Park.

At first, I found it unnerving, but now I'm settling into it and enjoying the benefits. 

Everyday life flows without stress when people put others first, and when the environment is calm, clean and safe.

The next challenge for me is finding a way to express some healthy conflict and expression of emotion without alienating people!