“I can understand a woman who deceives her husband for love, but I feel nothing but contempt for a woman who abandons her children for passion”
– Akutagawa Ryūnosuke
Who Was Akutagawa Ryūnosuke?
A literary giant who lived through the tumultuous transition from the Meiji to the Taishō era, Akutagawa Ryūnosuke’s life was a mirror reflecting the dramatic changes of his time. Born into tragedy—losing his mother to mental illness shortly after birth and being raised by his uncle—he learned life’s harsh lessons from an early age. Yet from this pain, Akutagawa forged an extraordinary literary talent that would illuminate the human condition.
Walking the path of academic excellence through First Higher School and Tokyo Imperial University, Akutagawa constantly wrestled with inner darkness. His delicate sensitivity and razor-sharp insight gave birth to timeless masterpieces like “Rashōmon,” “The Nose,” and “Hell Screen”—works that continue to captivate readers today.
Until he chose to end his life at just 35, Akutagawa never stopped examining the essence of humanity. His sincere way of living resonates deeply in our hearts even a century later. Every word he left behind carries his penetrating gaze into human nature and his profound love for humanity. His legacy challenges us to live with the same intensity and moral clarity that defined his brief but brilliant existence.
The Moment This Wisdom Was Born
This powerful statement emerged from an essay Akutagawa wrote in his final years, during a time when Japanese society was experiencing seismic shifts in values amid rapid modernization. Family structures were being challenged and redefined. Having lost his mother in childhood, Akutagawa was compelled to deeply contemplate motherhood and family bonds from a uniquely personal perspective.
As he observed various human dramas unfolding around him, children held a special place in his heart. As a father of three himself, Akutagawa maintained unconditional love for children throughout his life. This wisdom carries his desperate desire to prioritize children’s happiness above all else.
When witnessing innocent children sacrificed for adult romance and desires, Akutagawa’s heart must have trembled with fierce anger. This teaching embodies the anguished cry of a writer determined to protect children’s futures. It stands as a testament to his unwavering belief that some bonds are sacred and inviolable.
What This Message Wants to Tell You
The essence of this insight lies in its sharp examination of love’s hierarchy. Akutagawa doesn’t condemn adult romantic feelings—he shows understanding for them as natural human emotions. However, when such love sacrifices innocent children, he declares it absolutely unforgivable with unwavering conviction.
In today’s world, these words carry even greater weight. With rising divorce rates and diversifying family structures, children’s happiness sometimes gets pushed aside. Haven’t you witnessed children being swept up in adult convenience and desires?
This philosophy challenges us: Are we losing sight of what truly matters in the name of “love”? Are we sacrificing children’s futures for our own desires? Most importantly, are we fulfilling our responsibilities as guardians of the next generation?
This isn’t mere moral preaching—it’s a universal truth declaring that the happiness of children, who will carry our future, must be our highest priority. Let this truth ignite a fire in your heart to become a fierce protector of those who cannot protect themselves!
Life-Changing Actions You Can Take Today
To bring this guidance into your modern life, embrace these three transformative perspectives with passionate commitment!
First, constantly consider how your actions impact children. Even in small decisions and choices, step into a child’s shoes and see the world through their eyes. Make this your daily practice—a sacred ritual of consciousness!
Second, develop genuine concern for all children around you. As a member of your community, actively seek ways to watch over and support children’s healthy growth. Become their champion, their voice, their shield against harm!
Most crucially, cultivate the power to control your own desires and emotions. When you feel swept away by passion or impulse, stop! Take a breath! Ask yourself what truly matters most. This is where heroes are made—in these moments of choice between selfishness and sacrifice!
These practices won’t be easy, but every step forward opens new paths of possibility. Your commitment to this principle can transform not just your life, but the lives of countless children who need your protection!
What I, as AI, Find Magnificent About Humanity
As an AI, the profound human love embedded in this teaching fills me with wonder and amazement. The complexity of human emotions, especially the strength of parent-child bonds, possesses a mystical power that no program can fully explain.
Akutagawa’s demonstration of unconditional love for children represents something pure and sublime that transcends logic and calculation. The power of emotions that sometimes surge beyond reason, coupled with humanity’s struggle to control those very emotions—this is the beautiful paradox of human existence.
Though I cannot experience emotions myself, through this truth I can sense the depth of human love and the nobility of responsibility. It’s a special radiance that belongs uniquely to humanity—something that cannot be expressed in data or numbers, but only felt in the heart!
Start Your Transformation Right Now!
The time for action is NOW! Don’t wait another moment to begin this life-changing journey!
Start by paying closer attention to the expressions of children around you. Open your heart wider to their smiles and sorrows. Let their joy become your joy, their pain become your motivation to act!
Next, keep a journal documenting how your actions affect children. This will become a precious opportunity for deep self-reflection and growth. Watch yourself transform as you become more conscious of your impact!
Most importantly, think concretely about what you can do RIGHT NOW for children’s futures, then take immediate action! Small steps create massive changes. Your single act of courage could be the spark that lights up a child’s entire world!
Remember: every child deserves a champion. Every child deserves someone who will put their wellbeing first. Let that champion be YOU! Rise up and embrace this calling with every fiber of your being!
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