Kuala Lampur, Dec. 29 -- It was Arimura-sensei's first visit to Universiti Malaya. He had just finished delivering a lecture on artificial intelligence in medicine, and as the audience began to trickle out of the hall, I walked over to thank him.

On his opening slide were the words "Ichigo Ichie": four characters in Japanese that had quietly caught my attention. The hall was quieter now... we stood near the edge of the stage. I asked him what the phrase meant.

He paused before answering. Not rushed. He looked thoughtful, as if choosing the most honest way to respond. Then he said, almost softly, "It means 'one time, one meeting.' Every encounter happens once. It cannot be repeated."

Ichigo Ichie is the idea that every moment we experie...