Something I Have Learned Along the Way - Erina Kon

    Efforts will not betray; I have learned this through my life.

    It was when I was an elementary school student that I learned this lesson for the first time. In P.E. class, we were required to be able to do a handstand. When I had difficulty practicing, my teacher said to me “efforts will not betray.” I was very impressed by his words and I practiced and practiced believing his words, finally to be able to stand on my hands! I realized how wonderful it is to overcome something difficult by keeping making efforts, which has been affecting throughout my life.

    I learned the same lesson during junior high school days and senior high school days. I belonged to a junior orchestra and played the cello. The orchestra was very high level, to which many people who are going to be a professional player belonged. Therefore, it was hard for me to keep up with the orchestra and I often felt disappointed to realize difference in skills between me and other members. I, however, kept practicing hard keeping the lesson in my mind. Finally, something excellent happened to me!! When I was a second-year student of senior high school, which was the year when I would graduate from the orchestra, I was appointed as one of the selected members, and I got an opportunity to play the cello in a big orchestra, which was organized with members of several junior orchestras!! Playing in such a dynamic orchestra was moving and I was about to cry with the beautiful harmony while playing. I learned that keeping making efforts can bring me an unexpected and wonderful opportunity.

    Of course, it is true that just making efforts is not enough to solve all problems. I think it is more important than whether efforts will lead to success, to believe what you are doing or what you are trying to achieve and to keep making efforts. Keeping making efforts itself is important and will change your future for the better, however small the change is.