Happy New Year 2022 – Wishing You Find Happiness in Your Everyday Life Through the Nembutsu
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope you enjoy a wonderful new year in 2022. I would like to thank all sangha members for your continued support and generous donations during the past years under the pandemic situation. As a full-time Resident Minister, I feel grateful to share the Dharma and Jodo Shinshu continuously – Shin Buddhism teaching through the Sunday service, Zoom study session, and online format. Particularly, I thank the AV team headed by Daniel Sasaki and his team for providing technical support to videotape every Sunday service, monthly memorial service (called Shotsuki-hoyo), and other occasions. I thank Glen Morita, 2020-2021 OCBC President, for his dedicated support in spreading the Dharma through email communications and updating our website. Glen was a great president with technical knowledge and skills to maneuver the last difficult time.
I also appreciate the Risk Management Committee (RMC) headed by Glenn Inanaga and his team, who have updated the pandemic situation and followed our guidelines. I also want to thank all Minister’s Assistants for their help with the mindful meditation service and Sunday service. My thank-you extends to OCBC BEC, BWA, ABA, Dharma School teachers and assistants, the Japanese Language School teachers, and the office staff, Nancy, Gwen, and Linda, for their dedicated work. OCBC is fortunate to have many cheerful members willing to help our beautiful temple. Thank you all very much – Arigato!!! Last month, the MPB finally opened, and I saw children playing basketball with big smiles. Everyone looks delighted and healthy in the new gym. It is so wonderful to see them.
Repeated practice becomes a good habit – Shohei is MVP! Our Sunday service will keep the hybrid format to reach in and out to share the Dharma for the coming new year. Some people watch and enjoy our service outside of California, like New Mexico, Ohio, Minneapolis, and New York. When I gave the Dharma message about Shohei Ohtani “Mandala” on September 26, 2021, the next day on Monday, Los Angeles Times writer Gabriel San Roman emailed me and requested to interview me. Wow! How did he get my email address? He watched my Dharma message and became curious about the popularity of Shohei among the Japanese American community. I told Gabriel that Shohei would get MVP for sure and got it! Jon Kawamoto, a professional writer, and editor of BCA Wheel of Dharma, also found the LA Times article published on October 3, 2021. They wrote an article about my Dharma message in the Wheel of Dharma in November 2021. Here is the link to the article in the BCA Wheel of Dharma.
A few days ago, when I officiated a memorial service, the family gave me the LA Times newspaper clip. They are Shohei fans like I am, and we enjoyed talking about Shohei’s MVP award.
In James Wagner’s, New York Times article on Thursday, November 18, 2021, Ohtani’s historical efforts were rewarded with the A.L. Most Valuable Player Award. He joined the former Seattle Mariners star outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, the 2001 ALMVP, as the only Japanese player in Major League Baseball history to earn the award. Ohtani received all 30 of the first-place votes for the award, presented annually by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. He beat out his fellow finalists, Guerrero, who received 29 second-place votes, and second baseman Marcus Semien, the Blue Jays, who received 24 third-place votes.
In a television interview after being named the A.L. winner, Ohtani admitted he had dreamed about winning an M.V.P. award one day when he first came to the U.S. to pitch and hit. Ohtani said “I was more appreciative of the fact that American fans and the whole U.S.A. baseball were more accepting and welcoming of the whole two-way idea compared to when I first started in Japan,” Shohei said through an interpreter. “It made the transition a lot easier for me.”
“Growing up, I watched Ichiro,” Ohtani said. “He also won the M.V.P. He’s someone I looked up to and someone that got me wanting to play in the big leagues one day. I’m hoping I can be that type of figure to kids that are watching me right now. And hopefully, one day, I can even play with one of those kids that are watching me.” During the interview with NHK, Shohei also mentioned that he wants to do his best to make children think positively as he aspired to Ichiro when he took the first MVP among Japanese. Responding to the question to see if Shohei expects a big celebration, his reaction is so low-key, mentioning no particular change even receiving MVP. Still, certainly, it will be motivation for the following year. He wants to do his best every day. It sounds like a humble and deep reflection to keep working on his professional knowledge and skills. He never forgets to appreciate his coaches and colleagues, and many fans for their continued support and encouragement.
Shohei never forgets to thank people who support him. He knows that we live in an interdependency called “go-en ご縁.” Every time we place our hands and recite Namo Amida Butsu, we enjoy and appreciate this go-en with our Buddha. Let’s make this a good habit! I wish you stay safe and well, and I hope to see you at the temple soon.
Namo Amida Buts, Rev. Dr. Mutsumi Wondra