==JAPAN: KM== [People]

"Have a dream, believe in yourself and keep making efforts. Then there is nothing impossible." He often said this to us in his class. I met this ever-smiling gentleman when I entered high school and he was in charge of our class and taught us English. His twinkling eyes behind his black-framed glasses were always full of enthusiasm and the gentle smiles on his egg-shaped face were always full of sincerity, so it was natural that I got to like his energetic English classes and furthermore his sincere character itself.
He not only taught us English during his class but also told us of his own interesting experiences. One such story was about when he was a young English teacher. He was studying with all his might to get a Fulbright scholarship to study abroad, but his colleagues who were also teachers often bothered him by enticing him to play mah-jongg with them and even discouraged him by saying that it was impossible for him to get such a prestigious scholarship. He also knew it seemed impossible but at the same time he knew what was important was to believe in himself and go after his dream. So he kept up his study strenuously, though his colleagues sometimes made fun of him. But God blessed him. He won the prestigious Fulbright scholarship at last and departed for America leaving his envious colleagues behind him. Then after his one-year study in the United States, the day he had to return home came, but before returning to Japan he made a short trip to Europe and visited several countries including Italy where there was a famous fountain, "Fontana di Trevi" that has an interesting legend. The legend has it that a person who throws a coin into it will be able to come back there again in the future. So he threw a coin into it wondering if the coin would really bring him back to the fountain again. After he finished telling this story, he grinned at us with expectant eyes as if he still believed the legend and wanted to go there again even though 20 years had passed since then.
Hearing these kinds of interesting stories, I had already taken to his enjoyable English classes when the breaking news reached our ears in the second semester. When his interesting English class was over as usual, he said to us a bit seriously but brightly, "Do you guys remember the story I told you before about when I threw a coin into the fountain in Italy? Well, the legend is really true. I've got a chance to go there again this fall for some study. I can't teach you English during my trip, but it has been one of my dreams, so please let me go."
"Great! ", I shouted in my mind learning that during these 20 years he had continued his persistent efforts with that legend in his heart. And I thought it was his efforts that had made the legend true. Here I was deeply impressed by his positive attitude toward life. He taught us a great lesson by his own deeds. When he returned 4 months later after finishing his study there, he handed each of us an Italian stamp as a souvenir and said firmly that he was convinced of the truth of that saying, "Have a dream, believe in yourself and keep making efforts. Then there is nothing impossible." I was also convinced that he was the living evidence of this saying.
And his words and his beaming smiles were deeply ingrained in my mind. The next year he moved to another high school, leaving me with the unforgettable memories. Many years have passed since then, but still even now I sometimes remember what he said with a gentle smile on his face. And it was last autumn that I learned from a local newspaper that after retiring he established a branch of UNESCO, "HAKUSAN UNESCO CLUB" by using his own retirement money. In the paper he said, "I want to devote the rest of my life to promote international friendship as much as I can." Here, once again, I learned that he had kept making efforts, step by step, ever after he had departed from us and he will surely continue making efforts. Once more he has sent me the very important message of how to live.
He is really the greatest role model for me. He taught me one of the most important things in life, that is, to live every moment sincerely and truthfully. This positive attitude toward life enables us to believe in ourselves and to keep making efforts. Anything can happen when opportunity and preparation meet. Now I really want to follow his footsteps.
The Italian stamp he gave me is still on my desk.

COMMENT
This essay reminds me of a teacher. When I was a senior student in high school, he was my chemistry teacher. His friendly smile always made me happy and relieved. Also, in my studying for the entrance examination, I was encouraged to hear his words, "You can do it! " I think any teacher has great influence on students whether the results are good or not. The teacher in Mr. Inoyama's essay is the best person for a teacher, and for a man. He showed us how we can lead a full life, or contribute to our society. I think Mr. Inoyama is lucky so that he had the chance to meet a wonderful man.

Michiko Imagawa