Gaman. It’s a Japanese word we’ve heard several times recently, a quality which Japanese people traditionally cherish. It has no single English equivalent, but may be summarized in a phrase: patience, acceptance, civility, courtesy and quietness… in the face of great suffering.
The poet D.H. Lawrence wrote some simple words which seem to capture the Japanese concept of gaman:
“I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself.
A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself.”
Recent events have reminded us of what, as Christadelphians, we should already know: We live in a world of uncertainty. We draw breath each day by the grace and mercy of Almighty God. Nothing in this life should be taken for granted. At any day, and at any time, without warning, the “book” which is my life, or yours, may be closed, after which we will be required to give account of ourselves. Who are we, indeed? What is important to us? What do we hold as most sacred, most meaningful, most valuable?
Somewhere, underneath us or nearby, the earth itself, on which we stand this moment, may be preparing to rumble, and move, and shake.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One