I’ve recently been addicted to watching this Japanese drama on Netflix named Jin (仁), which reminded me of a wisdom I used to hold dear to when I was teenager.
A neurosurgeon in an era before antibiotics
The premise of the show is that a neurosurgeon, Dr. Jin Minakata, after an accident, finds himself travelling back in time to the end of the Edo period (late 1800s).
As he tries to uncover the mystery of the time-slip and a way back to the present, he uses his medical skills to help people whilst encountering historical figures and facing challenges like a mysterious epidemic and political conspiracies.
Amongst the many themes in the show–which include the consequences of time travel, unrequited love, challenging the historical status quo–the one that I like the most is about the “trials by God“.
神の試練 (Trials by God)
At time of true difficulty, there is a saying that the protagonist repeats to himself;
神は乗り越えられる試練しか与えない
which roughly translates to;
God only gives us trials that we can overcome.
Taken out of context, it can be seen as a foolishly optimistic way of looking life challenges.
However, the show only brings up this line, when the doctor is faced with dire situations that truly test the mettle of his character.
For example, and this is a spoiler alert,
In one episode, a huge fire breaks out in Edo and Dr Jin rushes into the fire zone. Despite the obvious risks, he goes and sets up an emergency treatment centre, putting his life at stake.
As the doctor continues to treat the many victims of the fire, the fire continues to grow larger and larger. Despite the firefighters’ effort to control the blaze, it engulfs most of the area that Dr Jin is in.
In the middle of all this chaos, the vice-chief firefighter is hurried into Dr. Jin’s treatment centre. The diagnosis is that an emergency surgery is the only way to save the firefighter, and time is running out.
The doctor is left with a dilemma: Does he abandon the patient and escape the fire to save himself? Or does he fulfils his duty to try his best to save the dying man in front of him?
“God only gives us trials that we can overcome.”
Dr Jin whispers to himself before deciding to perform surgery on the man in the middle of the historical Edo blaze.
No rational person would really blame the doctor for escaping and saving himself in that situation.
But the protagonist chose to face the challenge and push forward.
And the thing that gave him courage was the belief that any challenge presented to him in life can be overcome.
Faith or Tradition
Indeed, this notion that God masterfully fine-tunes the trials you face has no real basis. It is out of pure faith or tradition.
But yet, we cannot deny the shared experience that truly the life challenges that shake us to our very core, the ones that build character.
Be out of faith or out tradition, the human experience itself is enough evidence for me to truly believe in this wisdom of life.
So,
when you’re going through a tough day, a tough week or a tough year… persevere, persevere, persevere.
Remember that it is a God-given trial that you can surely overcome.
“Victory belongs to the most persevering.”
– Napolean Bonaparte
Thanks for reading my newsletter today! 😊
I am curious to know…What are some old-age wisdoms that you still hold dear in your heart even till today?
Please reply to this email and share with me your wisdom. I would love to learn from you.
Till next week,
Ruiz