Hot Pot Ingredients | Shirokuma Literature Club | Not Alone

The ingredients for the hot pot are napa cabbage, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and pork.
My mother always listed them in this order.

When I was little, before we went shopping together, my mother would always confirm.
"The hot pot ingredients are napa cabbage, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and pork, okay?"

I would nod. "Okay."

As I grew a little older, I started being asked to do the shopping.
"The hot pot ingredients are napa cabbage, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and pork, okay?"

My mother's and my hot pot always consisted of these four things.
It's simple, but delicious.

Even living alone, when winter comes, I get a craving for hot pot.

The wind is especially cold today.

At the supermarket, I pick up some napa cabbage.
As I put it in my basket, I can hear my mother's voice.

"The hot pot ingredients are napa cabbage, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and pork, okay?"

I go home and make the hot pot. Just for one.

I cut the napa cabbage, add the tofu, and arrange the shiitake mushrooms and pork.
I turn on the heat and wait for it to cook.

The order in which I buy them is the same as the order in which I put them in the pot.

Steam rises.
"It's delicious, isn't it?" says my mother.
"Yes," I reply.

Napa cabbage, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, pork.
Even now, while eating the hot pot, I murmur.
"It's delicious."

Only the sound of the hot pot simmering fills the room.

On days like this, I want to hear my mother's voice.

I am always grateful to Kosuke Komaki's Shirokuma Literature Club.
The theme for this project is "Hot Pot Ingredients."

"You Are Not Alone" is a unique series title from the ABC Co-Creation Lab, featuring a collection of works that depict the daily lives of single mothers.

#ShirokumaLiteratureClub #HotPotIngredients
#CoCreation #ShortShort #MyWorkIntroduction #YouAreNotAlone

🧡 A Like, 🤝 a Follow, or 💬 a comment... any of these would be a great encouragement to me!