Wrapping the Unseen Heart

The heart has no shape and cannot be seen.
Our feelings and energy are the same way—intangible yet real.
Still, care, consideration, and kindness somehow reach others.
When someone takes the time to act for us, our heart moves.
That is the moment when kindness takes form, and it becomes a lasting memory.

Recently, a friend’s mother passed away.
In Japan, there is a Buddhist custom called shijūkunichi—the forty-ninth day after someone’s death, when the spirit is believed to complete its journey.
Since I couldn’t attend the funeral, I sent orchids on that day.
My friend called right away and said, “It means so much that you remembered.”
She offered to send something in return, but I told her, “It’s only a feeling. Let’s share a meal together sometime instead.”

On another occasion, I sent flowers to an acquaintance for the same reason.
There was no phone call, only a return gift.
Everyone expresses gratitude in their own way.
Later, when we met, she thanked me in person.
Gifts, messages, and timing—they are never simple.

In Japan, it is common to bring a small gift when meeting someone.
Even I sometimes think I may overdo it, so it’s understandable that people from other countries find this habit curious.
This difference, I believe, comes from how each culture expresses the heart.

In many Western countries, gifts are given for special occasions—birthdays, anniversaries, holidays.
In Japan, gifts are often exchanged in everyday life.
Meeting someone itself is seen as a connection, a moment to give shape to one’s feelings.
Giving is, in itself, a way to express thoughtfulness.
Perhaps it has grown into a way to show the heart without words.

The Japanese furoshiki—a square cloth used for wrapping—embodies this spirit.
When you wrap something with it, your hands naturally become gentle.
When you tie it, it feels as though you are also tying a bond.
The heart cannot be seen, but when we wrap, it takes form; when we tie, it connects us to others.

Today, efficiency often takes priority, and opportunities to show kindness through action are fewer.
That is why small gestures like wrapping something with a furoshiki still hold great value.
Our heart shows in our movements.

Try wrapping something with a furoshiki.
You may find that your own heart becomes visible.