[#RainbowCreationClub] Standing in my hometown, I return to myself

Thank you for your continued support.

NijiClip I am participating in your prompt. The deadline is August 14th.

I wrote this essay while recalling the scenery of my past.

I am truly grateful for the opportunity to remember something so nostalgic.

Thank you for such a wonderful prompt.

Returning home is more than just travel

Returning home, you see, is not just a simple journey.

Holding a ticket and boarding a train or bus.

The act itself is simple, but
deep inside my heart, something gently unravels.

It is that kind of special time.

The word "homecoming" has a mysterious warmth to it.

Even when I am far away, just saying the word
gives me the feeling of a small light being lit deep within my chest.

The moment the five senses awaken

Stepping away from the daily hustle and bustle,
taking a deep breath of the soft air of my hometown,
the strings that were pulled tight inside my body slowly begin to loosen.

Cupping my hands, the water is cool and clear.

The feeling of the earth beneath my feet.

The scent of that nostalgic breeze that suddenly brushes against my cheek.

Seeing with my eyes, hearing with my ears, feeling with my skin, smelling with my nose, and tasting with my tongue.

My five senses slowly awaken,
telling me, "Ah, I'm finally home."

The scenery that has changed and the time that remains the same

The park where I used to play, the path to school I walked while laughing with friends.

The roads that felt so wide back then are surprisingly short when I walk them now.

Sometimes I feel a little sad because the houses and shops have changed.

But the time that flows there and the memories I kept deep in my heart
are still there, calling out to me gently.

"This is where you began."

That voice is not heard by the ears, but by the heart.

Touching your roots

Even if the house is no longer there, standing in the place where you were born and raised is like gently tracing your own roots.
The certain sensation transmitted from the ground quietly tells you, "You grew up here."

Feelings that were wavering and a heart rustling with anxiety slowly calm down when you touch your origin.
It is like the sense of peace after taking a deep breath.

Time to rediscover yourself

That is why returning home is not just an act of "going back."

It is a moment to receive your hometown with your five senses and re-examine your roots.

The discomfort you feel within that, as well as the sense of relief, are all fragments of who you are.
I want to cherish every emotion, even those that seem mismatched at first glance.

Because your own unique story is packed in there.

Hints for living that returning home gives you

In days where you feel like you are being swept away by busyness, surely everyone loses sight of themselves at times.

But by valuing returning home like this, you can encounter new "ways of being yourself" and hints for your own way of living.
The air of my hometown mysteriously pushes me forward, saying, "This is fine."

That is what I think.

To the days I walk with you

I, too, waver every day, and to walk a life without regrets, I cherish the voice of my heart.
It is not perfect, and there are many times I get lost.

But the paths I have chosen little by little in that way have all become "my life."

If you would like, I would be happy if I could walk this path gently together with you.

Thank you for reading until the end.

If gentle ripples have spread in your heart, please let me know with a like or a comment.

Follows are, of course, very welcome.

May warm light shine upon your every day today as well.