Accumulating Small Joys and Happiness

My husband says,
"It's my job to create joy for Kaori."

Saying that, he thinks of all sorts of fun things for us to do.

Since I was diagnosed with cancer, the things I can do have decreased. They have decreased quite a lot.
I can't take on more work, I can't drink my favorite alcohol, I can't go camping, I can't even do basic housework like cooking, and I can only hang out with friends when I'm feeling well.

Yet, he creates joy for me.
Even if they are small things, they pile up every day.
They pile up and up, growing higher and higher.
I feel very secure resting on that kindness, and it helps me keep going even when my body and mind are struggling.

This year, the timing for going to see the plum blossoms was bad. On the day I planned to go, it rained and they fell, and on the holiday I decided to try anyway, I wasn't feeling well and had no choice but to give up.
Then, my husband took some time off during the day on a weekday.
We left before noon. It was to Nagaoka Tenmangu, a nearby place we could reach by car.
I knew the best time to see the plum blossoms had long passed, but the weather was nice and warm. I thought it would be nice just to take a little walk in that weather. If there were any plum blossoms left, that would be lucky. That was about the extent of my expectations.

When we went to the shrine's plum grove, it seemed the plum blossoms were indeed finished. In a normal year, a space filled with gorgeous colors and scents would appear before my eyes, but instead, there was just a dull army of withered trees.
I suddenly remembered the sunflower field in Hokkaido. Back then, the sunflowers were all wilted and drooping, and I was so shocked I just stood there frozen.
But this time, I had come half-resigned, so there was no shock.
Besides, while there were no plum blossoms, there were camellias.

Feeling better because of that, as we walked along, we also encountered a few late-blooming plum blossoms that were still left.

It wasn't very large, and since only two trees were blooming, our plum blossom viewing ended in no time.
But I felt more satisfied than anything, happy that I was able to see the plum blossoms again this year.
It was warm, and I could feel spring with my whole body.

After that, we had sushi at Sushiro for lunch. For some reason, it tasted better than usual, and I ate a little too much.
I even added a strawberry parfait.
Sugar is food for cancer, and my cholesterol levels are high, so I try to refrain from sweets, but it's hard to put into practice. I try to hold back as much as possible, but I spoil myself by thinking, "Just a little bit is fine."
I felt guilty, but I was still satisfied!

Just a tiny bit of time on a weekday afternoon.
A two or three-hour outing.
But it made me feel so happy.
My husband said, "Remote work is the best." It's certainly something I couldn't have imagined back when he was commuting to the office every day.
I am grateful to my husband for always giving me joy.
Accumulating small joys and happiness, I will live on today as well.