February 16th

As long as we have someone in our life who truly understands us, we feel comfortable and confident to give full expression to our abilities. That's just how precious the bonds of the heart are. Bonds between parents and children, teacher and student, mentor and disciple, are some such examples. As the tree of our life accumulates more rings, we will learn to appreciate the importance of the bonds that support us more than ever before.

-- Daisaku Ikeda

(Words of Encouragement to Women - 365 days, page 57.)

Japanese text:
HONTO NI JIBUN NO KOTO O RIKAI SHITE KURERU HITO GA IRU KAGIRI, ANSHIN SHITE CHIKARA O DASU KOTO GA DEKIRU - SORE GURAI, KOKORO NO KIZUNA WA JUYO DESU. OYAKO NO KIZUNA, KYOSHI TO SEITO NO KIZUNA, SHITEI NO KIZUNA TO, SAMAZAMA GA ARU GA, JINSEI NO NENRIN O KASANERU HODO, SONO ARIGATAMI GA WAKARU YO NI NARU.
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, 57 pg.)

February 14

Human beings do not come into this world by their own power alone.
And they do not grow up into adults all by themselves, either.
Born into a family, nurtured and raised by the family,
we are finally able to stand up on our own feet as individuals.
It is said that husband and wife, parents and children,
brothers and sisters are woven together by invisible bonds.
Bonds, that connect our hearts, are indeed,
the most valuable jewels of any family.

-- Daisaku Ikeda
(Words of Encouragement to Women - 365 days, page 55.)

Japanese text:
NINGEN WA JIBUN HITORI DE UMARETE KURU KOTO WA DEKINAI. MATA KESSHITE, TATTA HITORI DE ICHININMAE NO NINGEN NI NARERU MONO DEMONAI. KAZOKU NO NAKA NI UMARE, KAZOKU NO NAKA DE SODACHI, YAGATE IKKO NO NINGEN TOSHITE SEICHO SHITE IKU. FUFU MO, OYAKO MO, KYODAI SHIMAI MO, ME NI MIENU HITOTSU NO HO-SOKU DE MUSUBARETE IRU TO MO IERU. SONO KOKORO NO KIZUNA KOSO, SHIN NO KAZOKU NO KESSHO DE ARU NI CHIGAINAI.
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, 55 pg.)