Preface

Thus I laughed and cried. Then I understood the sadness and joy of the past, which were neither as despairing as I had thought, nor as pure and flawless as dreams and books suggested. The past is simply the past; I am just focused on calculating how to get through today with books. This is everything; this is the way to grasp the future. Thus I acknowledged the evils I once had; I also acknowledged the simple hopes I once held; I was astonished to realize that some of the harm I now see was also caused by me... good intentions led to wrong results... If I cannot escape from the memories of the past, then I am wasting each today with books. I understood the causes and effects of what has happened—today that has passed, let all those joys and sorrows also pass, remaining only in memory.

Thus, I laughed and cried

Then I understood the sadness and joy of the past, which were neither as despairing as I had thought, nor as pure and flawless as dreams and books had imagined

The past is merely the past; it is only by focusing on how to spend today and the books that we read that we can grasp the entirety of it. This is the method to master the future

Thus, I acknowledged the evils I had once committed; thus, I admitted to the pure hopes I had once harbored; thus, I was astonished to realize that some of the harm I had inflicted was also a result of my own actions... Good intentions led to wrong outcomes...

If one cannot emerge from the memories of the past, then it is a waste of each today with - images - and - books.

Understanding the causes and effects that have occurred

Let the joys, sorrows, anger, and happiness of today, which has now passed, also pass away, remaining only in memory