Hokusai says look carefully.

He says pay attention, notice.

He says keep looking, stay curious.

He says there is no end to seeing.

He says look forward to getting old.

He says keep changing,

you just get more who you really are.

He says get stuck, accept it, repeat

yourself as long as it's interesting.

He says keep doing what you love.

He says keep praying.

He says everyone of us is a child,

every one of us is ancient,

every one of us has a body.

He says every one of us is frightened.

He says everyone of us has to find

a way to live with fear.

He says everything is alive-

shells, buildings, people, fish,

mountains, trees. Wood is alive.

Water is alive

Everything has its own life.

Everything lives inside us

He says live with the world inside you.

He says it doesn't matter if you draw,

or write books. It doesn't matter

if you saw wood, or catch fish.

It doesn't matter if you sit at home

and stare at the ants on the veranda

or the shadows of the trees

and the grasses in the garden.

It matters that you care.

It matters that you feel.

It matters that you notice.

It matters that life lives

through you.

Contentment is life living through you.

Joy is life living through you.

Satisfaction and strength

is life living through you.

Peace is life living through you.

He says don't be afraid.

Don't be afraid

Look,feel, let life take you

by the hand

Let life live through you.