Strangers’ Kindness

On the hike from Kurama to Kibune in the outskirts of Kyoto, I met a kind couple. They were foreign travelers, just like us. In all honesty, nothing major really happened. We crossed path, and we asked them for a mask. I lost mine somewhere earlier on the trail.

We met at a fork in the road, and we were walking on the main trail as they came from a side path that branched off from the trail. The side path led to a small patch of forest, removed from everything else. You could see the patch from the main trail, and the leaves were waving at us. When we crossed our paths, my husband asked whether they had an extra mask, which surprised me a bit, as I thought it wasn’t a common request. However, they very kindly gave us one, and like my husband, did not think this was a big deal.

Why has this incident stuck in my mind? Because, right before it happened, I stood beneath a big bonshō bell and struck it with the beam. As the sound rolled out, I made a wish. It wasn’t a big wish by any means—not for wealth or prestige—but something smaller, like small helps, whenever I need them. Not a life-changing or earth-shattering wish, but conveniences, occasionally, that relieve me from trying to force everything to happen (or so it feels like I have to). When things happen on their own, it makes me feel cared for, in some ways or manners. I wish to be cared for, like a bonshō bell being touched by a beam, and then sound travels from there.

So, when the mask fell into my hands, I felt like the sound of the bell echoed back, covering me with gentleness. Sometimes a wish gets fulfilled so quickly that only gratitude remains. I finished the hike filled with gratitude.

On the path, I made a wish as the bell rung, which traveled far into the air.

I wished

Not grand ones like

陌生人的善意

我在京都郊区鞍马到贵船(Kurama to Kibune)的徒步路线上遇到了一对很善良的夫妇。他们跟我们一样，也是外国游客。其实，也没有太大的事情发生。只是他们在我们的请求下给了我一个口罩。我的口罩之前落在了路线上不知道什么的地方。

我们和他们在一个分叉路口相遇，一边是我们走的主要登山道，另一边则是他们走过来的小路叉径。小路从大路旁边延伸，目的大概是一个小小的森林。小森林可以从主要路径上看到，好像在朝我们招手。当他们过来的时候，我丈夫问他们有没有一个多余的口罩，这让我有些惊讶。因为我觉得这个请求也许对路过的人来说有些突然。而我是不会去向陌生人要求的。而他们很包容给了我一个，和我丈夫一样都不觉得这是一件非常不寻常的事。

为什么这件事情对我印象深刻呢，因为在此发生的不久以前，我刚一面敲一个大大的梵钟一面对着声音朝着远方许了一个愿。这个愿也不是很大的愿望，不比什么一夜暴富或者找到满意工作这种很大的事情。我想的是关怀，在细小的地方。不需要大的发生。而是有时候让我方便一点，不用事事都努力才能发生。不需要努力就可以达到目标，这也是让人觉得被照顾了。我想被多照顾一点，就像梵钟被轻轻地敲动，然后声音发出来那样的自然。

所以当我拿到的口罩的时候，我好像觉得梵钟发出来的声音飘到了远方，然后折叠回覆到了我的身旁。有时候好像愿望达成得太快，让人觉得非常地充满感恩。我带着感恩步行了剩下的路。