Existence, the effort of will 生きる（いきる) = 頑張り （がんばり） Poem by Elena Sandu

Once upon a time
arrived a child
that feared life
from the first breath.
But the mother
and the father cried:
-Gambatte!
Onegai, ikitte!
Instantly, the fear
was soaked in love.
To live as well as could
the baby tried.
Soon learned to smile:
just like the skin
is warmed by a kind sun
the smile did all the same
for the parent's heart!
Now now, who could keep frozen
at the sight of a baby's smile?


...To exist is the effort of will
that only love can bring...


* ganbari 頑張り（がんばり）＝an effort of will, pull, patience
**ikiru =生きる（いきる）-live, exist, last
*-Gambatte! =Do your best! (and much much more that, I feel this word is the most strongly tied to Japan and Japanese through all their life. This was only a first example, I hope one day I will put up some more) .
Onegai, ikitte! =Please, live!