Enjoy the changes
Mariko Tagami
The spring storm blew through the vernal equinox
How is everyone spending their spring?
In the silence of the morning, I listened carefully and heard the unfamiliar calls of birds.
When I look up at the sky, fond memories come back to me.
March is my son's birth month, and five years ago I spent this season with my newborn son.
Along with the big changes, I gained new values and experiences.
I looked back and thought it was a special time.
I had no idea how to raise a baby.
The day I brought my tiny one-week-old son home for the first time
It was a clear day and the warm spring sunshine was shining down.
During birth, the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck.
My son was having trouble coming out so I had to have an emergency Caesarean section.
I have hardly ever had any illnesses or injuries up until now, so this was the first time I had experienced pain in a wound after surgery.
And after that
My breasts hurt because I'm not used to breastfeeding...
For some reason, the smallest thing makes me cry.
My face and legs are swollen and puffy...
The baby is cute though
What on earth has happened to me?
And so, those days of firsts continued, and even now, five years later, I still have a lot of firsts when it comes to raising children.
I feel like I'm always having new experiences.
The times when I felt big changes in my own body and mind were literally "difficult."
Being a parent is hard! Is being a mother really that hard?
When I was young, I rebelled against my mother and called her a "demon hag!"
I often feel like cursing.
If my son told me that now,
I'm sure I'll cry...)
That experience was an event that completely changed my values and preconceptions.
I realized that our daily lives are constantly changing.
There are more and more situations in our daily lives where we have to accept change.
Recently, I feel like I've become able to let go easily.
Maybe I can only think this now that I'm older,
Everyday life is interesting because it changes.
I want to enjoy that change.
Towards a new fiscal year
Some of you may be in the midst of big changes.
The experience gained there is irreplaceable.
It comes back as learning and joy.
This week, enjoy the changes and feel the spring.
