It’s getting warmer here in the summer days of Sapporo. My family and I have had BBQ twice now already. Do you like BBQ? I love it, because we get to make a big bonfire. The fire keeps you warm on a cool summer evening. The sound of the crackling of the fire is very healing… Watching the beautiful red, orange and yellow flames… It’s mesmerizing. I thought about this episode’s topic while gazing into that bonfire. It reminded me of a Bible verse that really pushed me to do better in life.
Interesting, don’t you think This is what I like to call “tough love.” これは私がタフラブと呼んでいます。
When someone gives you a strong word that pushes you forward. 誰かが力強い言葉をかけてくれたとき、その言葉があなたの背中を押してくれる。
Instead of just …“Oh, you’re doing good,”
Real friends come around and say, “Hey, this is great, but you could do better.”
And this is one of those phrases where I felt that.
Think about it:
Is there anything worse than eating a lukewarm meal? Perhaps a cold meal… Imagine Ramen, lukewarm instead of piping hot. All the noodles would be thick, sticky, and gooey. 麺はすべて太くなって、もちもちで、ネバネバしている。That would be just awful, don’t you think? So let me ask you then:
Are you hot, or cold?
I’m not talking about body temperature! “Phew, it’s hot in here!” No, I’m talking about your passion for what you do each day.
If you’re a student, a worker, or a parent, or even retired: Are you hot, or cold?
Are you into it what you’re doing right now, or are you not into it?
Are you excited, or are you bored?
“Hot” would mean you are burning with passion for whatever you do.
“ホット “とは、何をするにも情熱的に燃えているという意味です
And “cold” would mean, you’re not so interested anymore. You may just be doing it because you have to.
I went to a cafe to think about this week’s radio, and as I ordered my coffee, the staff at the register asked me, “Would you like that hot or cold?”
“Hot, please,” I answered.
It re-enforced my idea for this week’s question:
Are you hot or cold?
English is funny sometimes.
When you say “that person is hot” like “she’s hot” or “he’s hot” it means they’re very good looking.
On the other hand…
When you say “that person is cold” it means they are mean, or rude.
My question is a little bit different though.
Are you hot in a way that you burn for passion for what you do?
あなたは自分のやっていることに対して情熱を持って燃やすような熱い人ですか?
If you feel a little lukewarm, how can you make your drive hotter?
Or if you feel a little cold, is it something you should keep doing, or let go of?
I think we can push our minds in one direction or another.
どちらかの方向に心とマインドを誘導できると思う。
But the worst is to be stuck in the middle.
でも最悪なのは、中途半端になることだね。ぬるい人
Sometimes I do too much, and I need to say no to things that I find are lukewarm or cold. And that’s good, because then I can focus more energy and time on the things I’m hot, passionate, for.
So where do you want to be? Hot, Cold, or Lukewarm?
Just think of lukewarm ramen… I love the cold ramen actually. I eat that a lot during Sapporo summers… How about you??
The song for this week’s theme is:
Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys
For all of you men listening too, I hope you can be inspired to be powerful, strong decision makers, and hot instead of lukewarm!
“This girl is on fire,”
When you say someone is on fire…
Like “Jack is on fire!”
It means they are full of passion, doing well, successful. A winner.
We all want that, right?
So let’s be “on fire” together.
Choose hot or cold, but no more lukewarm ramen!!
That’s all for this week!