Quote by Sei Shonagon: “One should never make a long journey to a place where one does not feel at home.”

This advises against investing effort in situations or relationships where one feels unwelcome or uncomfortable. It emphasizes the importance of seeking environments that provide belonging and ease, suggesting emotional well-being should guide our choices and efforts.

In Heian court life, travel and social visits carried significant weight and implication. Shōnagon reflects on the emotional cost of such engagements when they lack genuine connection or warmth.

Japanese author and court lady of the late tenth and early eleventh centuries, best known for the Pillow Book, a collection of observations, lists, and reflections on life at the Heian imperial court. Little is known of her life outside the Pillow Book itself. She served as lady-in-waiting to Empress Consort Teishi and was a contemporary and rival of Murasaki Shikibu.