My rating of this drama is entirely objective; based on the story's overwhelming impact on me. It was all the more heartbreaking to think that this is drama is based on a real story and is really the story of millions of persons who live boldly with disabilities, I say boldly because how else can you describe a person gripped with fear and pain and who nonetheless chooses to face an uncertain future head-on.

This drama really made me reflect on my own life and ask a couple of difficult questions: I couldn't imagine living the life that Ikeuchi Aya lived for 10 years as a victim of spinocerebellar degeneration disease...knowing that she would lose her ability to walk, move, speak and eventually die. But does this mean, I live life only to walk, talk, write, move, etc. I think it didn't matter that she never got the answer to the question: "why did this disease choose me?" None of us chose our life. I think this was a groundshaking reminder that strength, purpose, faith, courage...these things are far more precious than we imagine and they look so different from what we have been taught to believe. They probably lie dormant in all of us and could probably take form in the face of our deepest and greatest suffering.

If you have the courage to watch this, you'll probably be crying (ugly face...get a box of tissues crying btw) throughout but there's a gem of an inspiring story to learn from. It will be worth it.