Together we will win!

My biggest enemy is my lazy nature. I tend to feel comfortable when I keep doing the same thing and then I start to slack. I was a child who always waited at the last moment to do her homework.

Almost ten years ago, I went beyond my comfort zone, Japan, and came to study in the US. Never in my life had I studied and cried at the same time. After graduation, I got a job in Atlanta and moved. That wasn't comfortable, either.

I had my 6th anniversary in my company about a week ago. Now, I am back to where I was again. I am feeling very comfortable. 2007 - Year of Advancement and Victory!!...and here I am not moving forward. I know I need to do something about it besides moving to a different country :-)

I need to be strong enough to challenge myself where I am at this moment. From President Ikeda's speech, "Takayama wrote, 'Dig beneath your feet; there you will find a spring.' I am very fond of these words. The place where you are now is crucial. Never try to avoid that which you must do. Challenge your circumstances and steadily persevere. To my youthful successors, I say: 'Bring the flower of your mission to bloom in the place where you are now! Resolve to create your own record of victory!'" (Nov. 10 Address - WT Dec. 8, 2006) I need to show people around me the greatness of the Gohonzon and this organization. I am the only representative for those people and that is a serious responsibility.

The way I was doing May Contribution was… again, comfortable. The first time I contributed, I did more than I had planned just because I was close to the WD who was collecting the contribution..., you know, I needed to look good. Then year by year, I increased the amount little by little which was in my comfort zone. This was the very attitude toward my life. The reason I use past tense is because I just contributed double the amount of last year!

After all, I am here because all these people have supported and encouraged me, my family back home and always warm SGI members. Now, I am truly grateful and happy to contribute to SGI in every way. With many more challenges to come, together, we will win!

Kiyomi Yoshimoto - Southeastern Region Byakuren Chief