Fallen leaves Quote by Fumio Sasaki
““Near my old apartment, there was a gingko tree that loomed over the sidewalk. Each morning, I would see my middle-aged neighbor busy sweeping away the fallen leaves and wonder how she could stand doing that day after day. The leaves were falling all the time anyway, so why didn’t she just take care of the sweeping once a week or even every other day? That had been the old me. Now I can understand how the woman must have felt. It wasn’t the fallen leaves that she had been tidying up; it was her own laziness that she had been sweeping away.””
About This Quote
Source Book: “The Little Book of Hygge” by Meik Wiking, 2016 (quoted in Sasaki’s writings)
The narrator reflects on a neighbor’s relentless leaf‑sweeping, realizing it symbolizes her own struggle with laziness, not the leaves themselves.
In simple terms: Sweeping leaves mirrors fighting personal laziness.
Key Takeaway
Address underlying habits, not superficial problems.
Themes
self‑improvement
habit
mindfulness
perception
growth
Mood
thoughtful
inspirational
Type
reflective
motivational
When to use this quote
- daily chores
- personal development
- mental health
- self‑discipline
Key Concepts
behavioral change
self‑awareness
metaphor
Questions to Reflect On
- What habits are you sweeping away?
- How can you confront underlying laziness?
A Different Perspective
Focusing on surface tasks can miss deeper causes.
