If you stay on a small island in the middle of the Seto Inland Sea long enough, you will become one with nature. Mainly because there is nothing else to become one with, except for maybe alcohol. Being one with nature isn't just convening with the flowers and plants. You must also be willing to be one with snakes, insects and other nature dwellers.

With the nice weather lately, I have taken to trail running. There are many beautiful trails on our island, some of which follow an ancient pilgrimage path to 88 sacred sites, a copy of the famous 88-temple pilgrimage in Shikoku. As I run along the pilgrimage path, both sides rustle as mountain crabs jump to the side and salamanders slither away into the brush. Birds of prey take flight from the tops of trees creating downdrafts. It humors me to think that I can actually scare something! But as long as they are afraid of me, we are not one yet.

But other things are not so afraid.