Lisa Iwakura

Usually, my mind is filled with trashy things. I hate myself for that and feel depressed. Even so, I can live with vigor when there are stories I want to read and translate. They refill my mind with fascinating things and then bring out the best in me.

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I started my journey of reading to discover what it means to be a human. Since then I've got an idea about it. I thought it meant to be able to put oneself into other's shoes, that is, a power of imagination. Now, the goal was reached, but my journey would not end, because imagination has no limit. Wherever I visit, I find a unique imagination which is free from any chains. And whenever I find it, my colored spectacles of assumptions are removed and my view becomes clearer. Such miraculous experiences drive me to visit more places.

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I've been excited by views and events which a tour guide show me, but recently, I am intrigued by the route itself and curious about why the guide decided to take that particular route. The question turns my mind toward the guide, that is, the creator of the story.

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It is stories that encourage me. And stories have always their own creators. That means it is their creators that encourage me. I am really grateful to them and now I would like to encourage them by translating their stories. And it would be great if ones who read their stories through my translation are encouraged by them to create fascinating things in any form and then those things might encourage their original creators, too. I believe that would make everyone's life more interesting and more creative. And if the world is filled with imaginations, all the people in the world will become more kindly to others. I expect that will bring peace to the world.