I recently realized that I’ve already lived more than half of my life.
No matter how I look on the outside (yes, I do make an effort to stay youthful!), inside I still feel young.
But sometimes I notice the gap — like when people in their early 30s don’t know who the Drifters were, or have never seen The Matrix or Star Wars. Some even ask, “Who’s Keanu Reeves?” (Excuse me?!).
And those moments when I say, “That just happened recently,” only to realize it was actually five or even ten years ago… time really flies.
For me, everything after the year 2000 still feels like “recent history.”
But it’s already been a quarter of a century since then. Wow — I’ve really been around for a while.
So now that I’m wrapping up my first Quarter of a Century, it’s time to reflect — and prepare for the next one.
What have we learned, and where are we going?
Things I Reflect On (as one human among many)
1. The cost of environmental destruction
We talk about protecting the environment, but then cut down trees on mountains to install solar panels.
Has global warming — or rather, this extreme summer heat — partly been caused by that?
And are solar panels really sustainable long-term, financially and practically?
I can’t help but wonder.
2. Why is war still “normal”?
We teach children not to fight — to talk things out — yet world leaders build weapons and start wars.
We’re told it’s for “security” or “economic balance,” but really… is that acceptable?
3. The gap between the rich and the poor
Just 1% of the world’s population holds 37% of its wealth.
The top 10% controls 75%.
It’s a massive gap that seems impossible to bridge — and with AI advancing, this divide might only deepen.
4. Passing the baton to the next generation
I’m part of Japan’s so-called “employment ice age generation.”
Many of us never got the chance to thrive during our prime years — whether by circumstance or design.
We were too busy surviving to mentor the next generation properly.
Looking Ahead
Maybe it’s time we, as individuals — and as a species — reflect on what we can improve in the next 25 years.
Whether personal or collective, small or large, change always begins with awareness.
The next quarter-century starts now.
What would you like to see — or become — by then?
