A Corner of Contemplation in Ghibli's "Whisper of the Heart"

Last Friday I watched Yoshifumi Kondō’s Whisper of the Heart; three days later, I watched it again. Something pulled me back into the world Kondō so beautifully created. And that something was the corner of contemplation.

Shizuku’s desk area could often be found with a bunch of books, papers scattered everywhere, and a lamp used to illuminate not only her work but her face too. This space is established as an area where she writes, thinks – and tries to understand life. This corner of contemplation (as I am calling it) was something so simple that resonated so deeply within me. It was this corner that reminded me why I love creating.

At the beginning of Whisper of the Heart, Shizuku spends her time at this desk reading, studying for school (hardly), and listening to music. By the time we make our way to the end, she is consumed with her story writing and cannot help but be closed off from the world, including her family. But one thing stays the same: her corner.

It was her corner that kept Shizuku grounded. The constant, you could say, in her life. On this exploration she goes through trying to understand what motivates and inspires her, this is a comfort she can always return to. I know it so well.

There’s a certain peace that so easily fills my spirit when I think of the endless possibilities this world offers. For all of us. There is so much to find out. Shizuku is on this same journey. And I learned a lot from her throughout this film. She’s scared, but so are we. She’s unsure, but so are we. She thinks she knows, but doesn’t really – just like us. Even in the midst of this, she keeps on. It was comforting to see this portrayed so well when it’s something I go through constantly.

Spending time alone allows us to understand who we really are. It is in this corner of contemplation, that Shizuku spent so much time in, where she learned who she is. 

And I hope you do too.

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