How to Read “When the months and days change, so does the heart”
Tsukihi kawareba ki mo kawaru
Meaning of “When the months and days change, so does the heart”
This proverb describes a natural aspect of human psychology. As time passes, people’s feelings and thoughts change.
What you think today might be different from what you’ll think later. Even strong decisions can waver over time. Everyone has experienced this.
This proverb is used mainly in two situations. First, when explaining or predicting someone’s change of heart.
For example: “He says that now, but when the months and days change, so does the heart.” This suggests current intentions may not last forever.
Second, when acknowledging your own changing feelings. It helps you accept that past and present thoughts differ. This is natural, not something to blame yourself for.
Even today, this proverb offers an important perspective. It helps us understand the instability and changeability of the human heart.
Change isn’t necessarily bad. It can represent growth and gaining new perspectives as time passes.
Origin and Etymology
The exact first appearance of this proverb in literature hasn’t been identified. However, its structure suggests it crystallized from long-held Japanese observations about time and the heart.
The word “tsukihi” (months and days) means more than just passing time. It holds special meaning in Japanese culture.
The moon’s phases repeat in roughly thirty-day cycles. This became the basis for the time unit of “one month.”
Since ancient times, Japanese people watched the moon’s changes to sense the shifting seasons. They organized their lives around these patterns.
The moon’s transformation from full to new and back again taught them that change is natural.
The word “ki” (heart/spirit) is also fascinating. It doesn’t just mean feelings or mood. It refers to a person’s entire mental state.
The concept of ki came from China and took deep root in Japanese culture. It appears in many expressions about mental movement.
Phrases like “ki ga kawaru” (heart changes), “ki ga susumu” (heart advances), and “ki ga omoi” (heart is heavy) all use this word.
This proverb overlaps visible natural changes (months and days) with invisible heart changes (ki). It expresses concisely how easily human hearts shift.
It reflects a Japanese mindset that accepts changing thoughts and emotions over time. This is as natural as the waxing and waning of the moon.
Usage Examples
- He said he would definitely change jobs back then. But when the months and days change, so does the heart. Now he seems satisfied with his current workplace.
- I longed for city life when I was young. But when the months and days change, so does the heart. Now I want to live quietly in the countryside.
Universal Wisdom
The truth that human hearts change over time is a universal phenomenon. It has been observed across all times and cultures.
Why do people’s feelings change? Because humans constantly accumulate new experiences. We encounter new information and meet new people continuously.
The scenery you saw today, the conversation you had, the small joys and sorrows you felt—all of these gradually influence your inner self. They create a you that’s subtly different from yesterday.
This proverb has been passed down for generations because it captures an essential human characteristic. If hearts never changed, there would be no growth, learning, regret, or hope.
Because we change, we can learn from mistakes. We can notice new possibilities and gain opportunities to make better choices.
At the same time, this proverb teaches the need for tolerance in human relationships. You might feel anger or disappointment when someone changes their mind.
But if you look back at yourself, everyone has changed their feelings many times in the past. The human heart constantly moves like a flowing river.
Understanding this deepens your understanding of others. It also makes accepting your own changes easier.
Don’t fear change. Don’t blame others for their changes. Accept that hearts shift with the flow of time as something natural.
This is where the wisdom of living humanly lies.
When AI Hears This
We tend to think “feelings naturally change as time passes.” But brain science research shows a completely different reality.
Memory isn’t fixed data. Each time you recall something, it becomes unstable again. Then it gets fixed once more. This is called “reconsolidation.”
Consider a heartbreak memory as an example. Right after the breakup, it’s stored with strong sadness.
When you recall it a week later, you’re a bit calmer. At this moment, your brain retrieves the original memory. It saves it again in your current calm state.
When you recall it a month later, you’ve experienced fun times with friends. The memory gets overwritten again in that context.
In other words, while “months and days change,” you repeatedly pull out memories. You repaint them according to your mental state at each moment.
This mechanism offers an important insight. Intentionally recalling the past in a good state works better than just waiting for time to pass.
When you remember painful memories after enjoyable activities or while talking with trusted people, those memories get resaved as calmer ones.
Changing feelings isn’t time’s magic. It’s an active process where the brain repeatedly edits memories.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people the importance of not fearing change and being tolerant of it.
The strong beliefs or decisions you hold today might look different in a few years. This isn’t weakness of will. It’s proof of growth.
It’s the result of broadening your perspective through new experiences. You’ve reached a deeper understanding.
At the same time, this proverb teaches the need for patience and understanding in relationships. When someone important starts saying different things, try understanding before feeling betrayed.
That person is also growing and changing through time. When promises aren’t kept, consider this before blaming them.
Maybe changing circumstances or new information altered their judgment.
Modern society tends to value consistency and sticking to beliefs. But the ability to flexibly update your thinking is also important.
Don’t be too bound by past decisions. Have the courage to ask what you truly want now.
Changing is natural. Accept that change and choose a better tomorrow.
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