Write an essay on fall seven times, stand up eight
Answers
A couple months ago, I was discussing Sadako Peace Day with Sandy, and this Japanese proverb came up as we were talking about the themes and symbolism of our evening. The proverb is “Nana korobi, ya oki” which means “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.” It means choosing to never give up hope, and to always strive for more. It means that your focus isn’t on the reality in front of you, but on a greater vision that may not be reality yet.
I don’t want to make the mistake of oversimplifying this proverb with the wrong words—I don’t have the words to fully capture the strength, courage, and even defiance of choosing to stand up again after being knocked down. And I know that this community understands, very personally, what it feels like to stand up again. We’ve all chosen to stand here at La Casa de Maria today, after everything that it and our community have endured over the last few months. And we’ve also all chosen to stand here on the 73rd anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, and the unimaginable devastation that’s wrapped up in that. Santa Barbara and Montecito are standing up again, just as the hibakusha of Hiroshima and Nagasaki stood up again.
Whether it’s through natural disasters or man-made ones, falling seems to be part of life’s cycle. I can understand why some people, fearful of falling down again, decide to limit their dreams, and live their lives close to the ground. But I think that those who have changed the world most deeply are people who chose to stand up again, even though they knew that they might also fall down hard again.
12-year-old Sadako continued to dream big and ask for more, even as cancer made her weaker and weaker. Even though she wasn’t healed, and didn’t see peace in her lifetime, she boldly stood up despite the possibility of falling. But I’d say that even though she didn’t live to see what she hoped for, she continues to stand, through those who remember her dream, and honor her memory.
So thank you for standing here today. Thank you to the people of La Casa de Maria for standing up again. Even through recent knockdowns, you’ve given our community so much. Thank you all for standing with NAPF through our ups and downs and the world’s ups and downs, as we pursue a just and peaceful world, free of nuclear weapons.
To me, our work gets its meaning from the people who believe in it with us. We stand taller because of you.
Nana korobi, ya oki. Fall down seven times, stand up eight. Today, we celebrate standing up again.
Answer:
Fall down seven times, stand up eight"; a very famous Proverb. This proverb relates to our attitude towards failure, meaning not to let ourselves be down by it but to welcome it and re-try. Let's work out an example. Imagine, if you will, you want to strike a one legged pose in the middle of your bedroom for giggles. The following sequence of steps is what you would most probably go through.
You get up from your sofa and start trying immediately. (This is not considered as failure, but rather as the start of your efforts. So this "standing-up" cannot be counted with the stand-ups which come after falling down)
At some point, you loose balance and fall for the 1st time
You get up for the 1st time to re-try
At some point, you loose balance and fall for the 2nd time
You get up for the 2nd time to re-try
At some point, you loose balance and fall for the 3rd time
You get up for the 3rd time to re-try
At some point, you loose balance and fall for the 4th time
You get up for the 4th time to re-try
At some point, you loose balance and fall for the 5th time
You get up for the 5th time to re-try
At some point, you loose balance and fall for the 6th time
You get up for the 6th time to re-try
At some point, you loose balance and fall for the 7th time
You get up for the 7th time to re-try
So, if you fall 7 times you're going to get up 7 times. Again, the first standing up does not count because it is not a failure but the start of a journey. Just because the proverb is (allegedly) Japanese and very old does not mean it is flawless and error-free.