I reconnected with a high school classmate at a reunion — someone I had quietly admired during school. He had gone on to a very desirable profession, and I worried about whether I would be able to grow close to someone like him.
At that time I often visited shrines and temples to settle my nerves and ask for guidance. I made the trip to Jishu Shrine, beside Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto, which a friend had told me was famous for love.
I prayed regularly, returned to write ema, and bought charms. It took time — but little by little, the distance between us narrowed. Eventually, we became a couple. The memory of that moment still moves me.
I could not have done it alone. Praying at a shrine for love gave me the confidence I needed to keep trying.