Whisper of the Heart

Mr. Nishi: It’s a special kind of rock called a geode. Hold it close to your eye and look inside…Those crystals are called beryl. There are pieces of raw emeralds deep inside them.

Shizuku: Aren’t emeralds worth a lot of money?

Mr. Nishi: Sure, but they need to be cut and polished first. When you first become an artist, you’re like that rock. You’re in a raw, natural state, with hidden gems inside. You need to dig down deep and find the emeralds tucked away inside you. And that’s just the beginning. Once you’ve found your gems, you have to polish them. It takes a lot of hard work. Oh, and here’s the tricky part. Look at the crack in the geode…You see that big green crystal there? You could spend years polishing that, and it wouldn’t be worth much at all. The smaller crystals are much more valuable. And there may be some even deeper inside that you can’t see.

Quote write-ups found here.

I watched “Whisper of the Heart” today, and these scenes came back to me. As I mentioned in my entry on Hayao Miyazaki, “Whisper of the Heart” is one of my favorite movies produced by his company Studio Ghibli, about a young girl who’s inspired to write a novel. Lately, with my new job and just life in general, the fluidity of writing has gotten a bit harder. But this part in the movie always makes me feel better.

Mr. Nishi: So, there you are. I finished your book…Thank you, dear. It was really wonderful!

Shizuku: No it’s not! It’s a mess. The storyline goes all over the place. All the characters’ dialogue sounds corny. You have to tell me the truth! I know it’s a complete disaster!

Mr. Nishi: No! It’s just a bit rough, dear…What I read was raw and heartfelt. You should be very proud for all your hard work. You’ve dug inside your soul and found some real gems! Next you’ll need to polish it, which will also take a lot of work.

Shizuku starts to tear up.

Mr. Nishi: There’s no need to be upset. Just have a little patience.

Shizuku starts sobbing…

Shizuku: I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t be crying! I wanted so badly to do a good job, but there’s so much that I don’t know about writing!…

Mr. Nishi: When [my grandson] Seiji finished making his first violin, he was far more upset than you are today…Oh, that reminds me. Now hold out your hands. *he gives her the geode* That geode suits you better than me. I want you to have it. Promise me you’ll polish your story well.

Shizuku: I will. *wipes tears away*

Just watching this movie fills my heart with so much encouragement. It makes the waiting and the uphill climb easier 🙂