物の哀れ: A Love Letter from Japan
Mono-no-Aware 物の哀れ The ending of a great party, the appreciation of a beautiful sunset, the fading of a deep romance....This is the essence of mono-no-aware . 物の哀れ; ( Mono-no-Aware ) meaning "the Pathos of Things", is a Japanese term for the awareness of the impermanence of life, for both a transient gentle sadness or wistfulness for their passing, as well as a longer, deeper gentle sadness about this state being the reality of life. It is the tears (and the smile) in your eyes when you think of someone dear, once with you, but no longer here. The remembrance of the fleeting beauty you once had with this person, or the melancholy appreciation of the company or environment that you feel at the end of your journey. Originating from Buddhism during Japan's Heian period (794 – 1185), mono-no-aware was first used in literature. However, it wasn't until the 18th century when famed scholar Motoori Norinaga applied his understanding of m ono-no-aware to his criticisms