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Home>Service> Awardees of Fervent Global Love of Lives Award> 13th Fervent Global Love of Lives Award 2010> Ninety-Six-Centimeter Angel--- Toyota Shoko in Japan
One Day in Tears Can Also be One Day in Laugh
I am always grateful for the opportunities of facing adversity. If I was not like this, I won't have this fabulous life; thus, I wish I have this body in next life.
--- Toyota Shoko
 

      Japanese healthy food “Chlostanin” sales representative in Chikuho, Toyota Shoko, suffered hereditary rheumatoid arthritis like “Liu Xia” in Taiwan ; her upper and lower body was paralyzed and she was only 96 cm tall. With a strong personality refusing to back down when confronting challenges and frustration, since she was a little girl she went through childhood in handicap, discontinued her study, unemployed, betrayed and mistreated. Even so, she felt grateful and shared her story with people all around the world in her autobiography “Fullfillment of the 96 Centimeters”. In 1981, she invested in healthy food “Chlostanin” and became the store manager of beauty salon and health club in January of the year 1982. In September the same year, with $10 million Yen she bought the store and became the owner. Because her courage of facing her illness, she had shown excellencies and outstanding achievement in her career. Currently, she is Chlostanin sales representative in Chikuho in Japan , and has been invited to Taiwan , Korea , and China to share her life experience. Toyota Shoko said that, “One day in tears can also be one day in laugh”. Her determination to live a remarkable life and feeling grateful when she faced a difficult situation deserves to be called “Ninety-six centimeter angel”.
 
 
Ninety-six Centimeter Giant
      Born in 1943 in Japan Fukuoka Iizuka City , Toyota Shoko wrote her autobiography “Fulfillment of the 96 Centimeters” with sincere and vivid description to depict her true encounters and life stories. Her book is very popular in middle and elementary schools in Japan , and also has wonderful feedback from young people, student parents and teachers; so she is called the “Little Giant” by the media and has toured many places to give speeches. In recent three years, she visited Taiwan and inspired other members with her achievement and determination. She encountered life struggles with a handicapped body and her stories definitely encouraged many people who had financial or health problems to face life challenges using more positive attitude. Also, she emphasizes her “Gratitude” in order to describe her satisfaction through her journey from childhood to school, career, and marriage. Just like the statements made in her book:
 
 

"Not only teachers, but also those who mistreated me teach me how to live my life. I will always remember and feel grateful to the taxi drivers who refuse to carry me and strangers who won't help me.”
 
“Because of those taxi drivers, I passed driving test; because of the broken marriage, I started to work; because I was betrayed by co-workers, I can now use several million Yen.”
 
“Many thanks in my heart made me feel these bad characters in my life were disguised blessings. What a wonderful thing to be grateful.”
      President of the Japan Beautification Assocation, Hidesaburo Kagiyama, said that Ms. Toyota is like the sun to light up everyone's life. She is a generous and forgiving person; although she is only 96 cm tall, and sometimes people and strangers look at her differently, she still enjoys her life. “She is completely not affected by her handicap and enjoys herself.” Actually, she has completed her mission and hopes people to learn her optimistic and confident attitudes. Although having hardship and sorrow in her life journey, she still faces challenges with a cheerful, confident, and energetic spirit.
      President Chain Store Corp. in Taiwan , Shiu Chung-Ren, first met Ms. Toyota in spring of 2004. Referred by President of the Japan Beautification Japan, Hidesaburo Kagiyama, I visited Iizuka City in Japan and invited her to speak at Taiwan cleaning workshop. The most impressive thing I remembered of her was that she is a very tiny lady and beautifully dressed. Her cheerfulness, enthusiasm, and confidence are like a warm breeze. I believe she can inspire more people who are facing life challenges; only with courage can she never give up and finally be successful. Like what Ms. Toyota said, “One day in tears can also be one day in laugh”; if we can learn from her courageous attitude and persistence to face adversity and hardship, we will overcome any difficulty and frustration.
 
 
Life Experience – Never absent from schoolwork in six elementary years

      With an innocent and sweet smile, Toyota Shoko was humorous and experienced a difficult life journey. Since she attended elementary school, she was bullied by her classmates and pushed by them on her way to school; she even fell into a pond roadside and helped by an old couple passing by.
      When she decided to take driving lessons, her friends disagreed. She took physical exam and was told that “you are handicapped and cannot do it”. She cried to return home and made a decision that “one day I will drive a car in front of the person who says that to me”.
      She always remembered her father once said “people who regret what they did not do will be sorry when they die; people who regret for what they do hard and fail will not be sorry.” Therefore, she convinced government offices to let her take the test. Even so, when she learned how to drive, she holds her belief that “I will not go home if I fail” and she felt anxious and went to hospital because her physical limitations.
      After taking the test for 19 times, she finally passed. She drove her re-built model car around. Not only she ignored her physical limitations, she went through an emotional process that not many people understood.
 
 
Life Stories – Energetic struggle to overcome the physical limitation

      “You are handicapped and you cannot do it” is like a curse. Though Ms. Toyota felt sad and depressed, she had enthusiasm not be defeated by this.
      During her career journey she worked in healthy food Chlostanin sales, she tried to sell the products and thought she would meet her first love who lived in the same city when she visited the clients. After a few months, she did not sell a bottle. Moreover, she was scolded and told to leave when she visited the household. She returned home in tears, thinking what her father used to say. She decided to try again; finally, she got better. One year and three months later, she borrowed 10 million Yen to buy and have her own beauty and health salon.
      Until now, more than twenty years later, the sales every month reaches several million Yen. Suffering from her handicap, she needs people's help, even opening the door, when she stays in a hotel. However, she has traveled around the world, including Israel , Macau, and China , and she also came to Taiwan three times.
      “Without money and health, I am still alive today. Those who took advantage of me in school, who did not help me on bus, who treated me with cruelty, those who played bad characters in my life, and my ancestors and parents give me what I have today.” She said.
      She has encouraged many people to face every kind of challenges, including people in financial trouble, physical challenged or sickness. Do not escape from reality and live a positive and optimistic life. Toyota Shoko's undefeated personality and cheerful personality give her a chance to live a beautiful life.