The man walking down towards you is the 100% perfect man for you. You are not sure how you know this, you only know that you two are are each other's 100% perfect lovers. He is not marvellously good-looking but the moment you see him, there's a rumbling in your chest and your mouth is dry. But what could you possibly say to him to convince him of your feelings and make him aware of his feelings? The distance between you is lessening, and you have no idea of what to say. He passes you by, and you do not manage to say anything. You have just missed the train to perfect love- the journey of a thousand miles to romantic happiness begins with the first step and you were too hesitant to take it.
Haruki Murakami's short story "On seeing the 100% perfect girl one beautiful April morning," presents the reader with a clearly fictional scenario but with realistic undertones, leaving us thinking, "Have I walked past opportunities without realising that could have changed my life?" The well-known phrase "A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step" is a metaphor for a theme that is common in our daily lives, that is, often one simple action could lead into a chain of events that have a life-changing affect. So my question to you is this, "How often do you dismiss people or happenings as unimportant? And how often does this dismissal turn the light red for a chain of events that could have taken you on a trip to somewhere you never imagined was possible?" I know I often walk away from people or shut them out, simply because they are not the kind of people I am used to spending time with. But by shutting them out, I am turning my back upon numerous unknown possibilities.
The only thing worse than turning your back on unknown possibilities, is turning your back on known possibilities. This is the reason why Haruki's short story is so moving and poignant. The reader is left feeling the loss and disappointment that the narrator feels, but also a strong feeling of aggravation and frustration at the boy for not saying anything to the girl he knows is perfect for him.
