Hello everyone.
I want to tell you about the people who brought me here.
Not a plan. Not a strategy. Just people. And moments I never expected.
It Started With a Boss
When I was 24, I saw my boss’s handwriting for the first time.
It hit me like lightning.
Not because of business. Not because I was thinking about a career. I just looked at those characters and thought — I want to write like that. That’s all.
That one moment changed everything.
I started copying his handwriting every day. Just trying to get close to something that beautiful. Eventually I found a calligraphy school and met my first teacher. Pen calligraphy. Every day, I practiced.
Laundry Days in Los Angeles
When I moved to Los Angeles, I kept going.
While waiting at the laundromat, I would walk to the Starbucks nearby and practice. Alone. Just me and my pen.
After I got my pen calligraphy master certification, a friend introduced me to a brush calligraphy teacher here in America. Another unexpected encounter. Another person who taught me more than I expected.
The Promise I Made to Myself
About six months later, I quit a job I hated.
I made a promise to myself — I will not work again until I find something I love.
Every morning after that was uncomfortable. Money was getting tight. The anxiety was real.
But I didn’t want to break my promise.
So I held on.
The Young Man in Santa Monica
One day in Santa Monica, I saw a young man doing calligraphy on the street.
I stopped.
Normally, I’m not someone who performs in front of people. That’s just not me. But that day, I had no choice. I was in a corner. I needed something to change.
So I walked up to him and asked — can I join you?
He said yes.
Just like that.
We started doing street calligraphy together. And that opened a door I never saw coming.
One Introduction Leads to Another
One day, a breakdancer we met introduced me to another calligrapher.
I sent a DM on Instagram. We met. And just like the young man before him, he welcomed me with open arms.
From there — In-N-Out, MAZDA, Anime Expo, Adidas.
Things I never imagined. Stages I never planned for.
Looking Back
Every single one of those encounters was ichi-go ichi-e.
One time. One meeting. Never again the same.
My boss’s handwriting. The young man on the street. The breakdancer. The calligrapher who answered my DM.
None of it was planned. All of it mattered.
That’s why I believe in treating every encounter with care. You never know which one will change your life.
Is there a moment or a person in your life that changed everything for you? I would love to hear your story in the comments below.
✦ This Week’s Kanji Word ✦
一期一会 (Ichi-go Ichi-e)
“One time, one meeting.”
Every encounter in life happens only once. The same moment will never come again. Treasure it.
👉 Hanging Scroll (掛け軸) — Shopify / Etsy
I’m Flash, a Japanese calligrapher in Los Angeles. I make hand-brushed sumi ink art with traditional Japanese materials. Come check my work at flashcalligraphy.com.
1 comment
A boss I worked under 5 years ago turned into one of my closest friends and mentors. And it was because of her influence that I strove to become a manager that people can look up to and learn from.