Overcoming physical disabilities (mid-term blindness)

The dream of succeeding the family business

I was born as the eldest son of a mandarin orange farmer. For children, the orchard was a perfect playground, and I was obsessed with climbing trees during elementary school. The higher I climbed, the more I felt the vastness of the sky, the pleasant breeze blowing from the distant sea, and I became smaller as I was absorbed in the ever-expanding scenery──. Feeling the unfathomable size of nature, I resolved in middle school to become a great fruit grower in the future and voluntarily advanced to an agricultural high school. I even won the prefectural grand prize for speaking about the future prospects of agriculture and my dreams at a debate competition. Everything was supposed to be going smoothly.

Sudden vision loss

On an autumn day in my second year of high school. In the evening, the letters on the blackboard suddenly became blurry and hard to see. They had been normal that morning. I was surprised that my vision, which had been 2.0 in both eyes, could deteriorate so quickly, and I went to see a local doctor. The results of the vision test showed that my left eye was 0.01 and my right eye was 0.9. The next day, I took a day off from school and went to the national hospital I was referred to.
'Your vision is deteriorating, but in cases of optic nerve disease, it's rare for both eyes to worsen if one eye is affected, so you should be fine.'
From then on, I had to visit the hospital daily for tests. I didn't have any pain in my eyes and initially didn't think it was a serious illness. However, day by day, I became unable to distinguish the colors of traffic lights, and the journey to the hospital became frightening. Would I really lose my sight completely? My right eye, which had been said to be fine, also rapidly deteriorated, and two weeks later, I was urgently hospitalized at a university hospital.

Vision reduced to zero

During my hospitalization, I underwent daily tests and intensive treatment. My vision fluctuated. After a month of hospitalization, my vision finally dropped to zero. Concerned relatives and friends came to visit, but I couldn't even recognize who came. My parents seemed to be in shock and I heard they couldn't focus on their work. My homeroom teacher reportedly cried all night after hearing about my illness. But there was nothing I could do. My father's happy face when I said, 'I want to grow mandarins in the future' kept coming to my mind.
About seven months later, I managed to see a little on the outer edges of my vision, but no further treatment effects were expected, and I was discharged to continue my recovery at home.

Frustrating days

Even though my body was fine, I had nothing to do, and days passed where I felt like I was just lying in bed all day. I couldn't see anything, and I couldn't even eat or make phone calls satisfactorily by myself. While I was cooped up at home feeling down, time kept flowing by.
One day, I suddenly wanted to see the mandarin orchard and went to the orchard for the first time in a while. Withstanding the harsh cold of December, the sweet summer trees laden with fruit appeared in my slightly remaining field of vision. As the wind blew and I savored the nostalgic feeling I always felt when climbing trees, I remembered how I had once been struck by the greatness of nature and vowed to become a great fruit grower in the future. That night, my father asked me, 'How about trying a school for the blind?' After falling ill, I hadn't been able to think about the future, but I was still in the middle of my high school life.

To the school for the blind

I transferred to the second year of a school for the blind in April, two years late. I was anxious about what a school for the blind would be like, but there were students who could read and write, talk about their favorite singers, and run around. I was relieved to see that it wasn't much different from my previous school, and I began to learn to compensate with my other senses. I learned how to cross the street by timing it with others, how to organize information, and how to use the braille library and computer voice guidance... I felt like my world had expanded tremendously. Eventually, I made close friends and started talking to them often during breaks. One day, a friend brought a book called 'Introduction to the Spirit World'.
'Today, I'll read this book to you.'

※ A spirit message from a woman named Koza-hime from the late Muromachi period. Currently included in 'The Complete Works of Ryuho Okawa' Volumes 26 and 27.

New hope

'Introduction to the Spirit World' was followed by a book called 'The Law of the Sun open_in_new'. What is Buddha, the structure of the universe, the existence of guardian and guiding spirits... The things written in 'The Law of the Sun open_in_new' were all new to me, and I couldn't wait for break time. However, soon summer vacation began, interrupting my reading. Eager to know what happened next, I bought my own copy of 'The Law of the Sun open_in_new' and had my family read it to me.
'Humans encounter various difficulties in the process of living. In other words, it is through such experiences that we train our souls. This is something that is planned in advance.'
I was shocked by the teaching of 'training for the soul'. I wasn't sure if I had planned my vision issues myself. But I strongly felt that there were efforts I could make even in my blindness. After a while, there was another debate competition, and I participated again.
'I went blind while aiming to be the best fruit grower in Japan and became lethargic for a time. However, I realized that there were efforts I could make by moving on to the new path of a school for the blind. Now, I am trying to acquire braille, which is challenging, but I feel fulfilled every day thinking, 'This is where my future opens up'...'
My future dreams, setbacks, and recovery—my honest speech about my feelings received a great response and won the national grand prize.

A mysterious connection

After graduating from high school, I studied for three years in a specialized course to obtain qualifications in acupuncture and massage, and successfully obtained the national qualification in acupuncture in braille. Wanting to further train my skills, I moved to Tokyo, where there is a dormitory-based acupuncture research institution. Just as I was starting to adapt to dormitory life, I was approached by a research student who was one year older than me.
'There's an audio version of a book called 'The Law of the Sun open_in_new', and it's really beneficial. Would you like to listen to it?'
'I know! That's from Happy Science open_in_new, right?'
'Yes, a volunteer recorded it for us.'
I never expected to be recommended 'The Law of the Sun open_in_new' by someone completely different in Tokyo, far from my hometown, and I felt a mysterious connection. I quickly borrowed the audio and listened to it. It brought back the emotions I felt when I first had 'The Law of the Sun open_in_new' read to me.
'I want to learn more about this teaching.'
I couldn't sit still and was taken to a branch open_in_new. And I became a believer in Happy Science.

Deepening conviction

Since then, I eagerly studied the Buddhist truths of Happy Science through DVDs and CDs of lectures by Ryuho Okawa open_in_new. When I heard the stories that 'even if there are physical disabilities, the soul is healthy' and 'the soul leaves the body during sleep and returns to the spirit world', I felt a sense of understanding. In my dreams, I could see the scenery and the faces of others clearly. Deepening my conviction in the teachings, I began to participate in activities with the youth division of Happy Science. Also, with the kindness of braille volunteers, I started helping to convey the teachings of President Okawa to others with poor eyesight, just like me. Later, I married a woman I worked with in the youth division and got a job at a quick massage shop.

Sowing seeds for the future

At first, I faced many challenges in my company job. Perhaps influenced by my craftsman father, I had dedicated myself to honing my acupuncture skills and struggled to work collaboratively with others. The president advised me, 'You are too focused on acupuncture techniques, and your thinking is narrow. I think you would become even more wonderful if you stopped relying solely on acupuncture skills.' This was a problem beyond my vision. Reflecting on my difficulty in cooperating with those around me, I realized that my desire to 'produce results quickly' was exceptionally strong. When you can't see, it often takes much longer to accomplish tasks, and I couldn't produce results easily. This led to anxiety and made me overly focused on myself.
'In treatment, there are various means and methods, and the patient's perspective matters, yet I had unconsciously been conducting self-centered treatment.'
Happy Science teaches that how we live in this life determines our next life. 'The present time is also a time for sowing seeds for the future.' Once I understood this, I was able to calm my mind, realizing that even if results don't come immediately, efforts are never wasted. As I continued to make steady efforts, my anxiety about results began to subside.

Kindness of companions

Perhaps my efforts were recognized, and I eventually became the store manager. However, this period was challenging both at work and at home. I was busy honing my massage skills and providing technical guidance to staff at three related stores. Meanwhile, at home, my first son was born. My wife, who was under considerable strain from helping me and raising our child, became mentally exhausted. However, what struck me during this tough time was the kindness of my companions who casually said, 'If there's anything I can do, just let me know.' I had thought I was trying hard to manage without relying on others because I couldn't see. But I realized I was being supported by many people, and I felt grateful for their kindness. I thought that as long as I sincerely appreciated their help, I could also give back in return. 'This is the wonderfulness of giving and receiving love, as taught in Happy Science,' I felt my heart warm. My desire to 'help those seeking healing' and 'to guide the next generation' grew stronger.

Realizations during training

When the training of employees began to take off, I thought I needed to further refine my management skills and went to the Main Temple, Future Hall open_in_new for training. As I reflected on my heart during the training, I realized that in my eagerness to elevate others, my guidance had become too lenient and I tended to be lax with time. I also became aware of the importance of being strict as a manager to truly empower subordinates and to believe in the patients' own ability to recover. 'There are no perfect people,' I learned, but that also means 'there is potential for greatness in the future.' I wanted to help in some way through my interactions, and I realized that all of that is part of healing.

Guidance for the next generation

After the training, I was soon to accept students for off-campus clinical practice from the school for the blind. I said, 'As a healer, acquiring solid skills is essential, but to treat from the patient's perspective, it is very important to have a pillar of the heart within yourself.' While providing guidance on treatments, I conveyed the mindset of 'to build a pillar in the heart, one must reflect on oneself' and 'efforts will solidify that pillar.' After the practical training, the school contacted me, saying, 'The students returned as if they had changed completely. What kind of approach did you take?' This led to me giving lectures at the school. Additionally, at one point, I was introduced in a magazine article, which prompted my company to hold external training sessions.

Towards the future

I am now confident in a bright future. Even without sight, I can envision my ideals and make efforts to realize them. I may need to put in extraordinary efforts. However, knowing that my efforts are not wasted, I began to see how much I can grow my soul, and I have come to view my handicap as a plus. Thank you very much, President Okawa. I will continue to live a life of giving back as much as I can.