Realizing How Limited My Perspective Was

When I traveled overseas as a student, I was surprised to discover that what’s considered normal in Japan isn’t necessarily normal elsewhere. I remember my first trip to Australia. In Japan, I’d always assumed “trains are supposed to run on time,” so I was surprised to find that in Sydney, “trains are expected to be a little late.” (Things may be different now.)

That experience reminded me just how impressive Japan is.

When I walked along the Champs-Élysées in Paris, the City of Light, I was shocked by how much litter was scattered around. (Things may be different now.) It made me realize all over again how clean many Japanese cities are.

But I also came to appreciate what other countries do well.

I’d assumed that fathers worked late and came home after their children were already asleep. But during my homestay, my host father was always home by 6 p.m., and the whole family sat down to dinner together. I remember thinking, “Wow, that’s lovely.” As I visited different countries and experienced different ways of life, I realized that “the world I know is only as big as the tip of my little finger, and there’s still so much out there I haven’t discovered.”

The Differences I Discovered Through Travel

A few years into my career, just as I was starting to enjoy my work, my friends began getting married in quick succession. Some of them had devoted themselves to their careers, only to leave their jobs after having children because they wanted to spend more time with them. At the time, I thought, “How can you just walk away from your job so easily? I don’t get it.” But after having a child of my own, I understand exactly how they felt.

“Right now, I’m putting time with my child first, too, and thinking about how to change my work and career to make that possible.”

Having a baby leaves you with almost no time to yourself. These days, I feel deeply aware of just how precious it was to have the freedom to spend my time as I wanted, back when I was single or when it was just my husband and me.

It’s much like how going through a time without much money taught me to appreciate what I have.

That’s why I think that when we judge everything based only on the world we know, we’re probably seeing only half the picture. Learning about different worlds can help us understand and appreciate what we already have more deeply.

You Appreciate the Panamera More When You Know Other Cars

I love my Panamera, but can I really say I love it after experiencing every car out there? Definitely not. I’ve driven a handful of cars on test drives, as well as cars owned by my parents and brother—and that’s about it.

I think that if I drove a wider range of cars, learned what makes each one special, and then came to understand what makes the Panamera so good, I’d love it even more. (I already love it more than enough, but I feel like I could appreciate it on an even deeper level.)

Who knows—I might even find a car that beats the Panamera. That’s why, these days, I’d love to visit different dealerships and test-drive all kinds of cars.