Let's pat our past selves on the head — Reading Nozomin's book, 'The Days Built Up for That One Moment.'

Going to heal my past self.

I had such a gentle and warm reading experience.

Actually...
my eldest son also
had a time when he played mini-basketball.
(First time I've shared this!)

My eldest daughter is working hard at piano,
and she even enters competitions.
(First time I've shared this, part 2!)

Sorry, I ended up including
information that probably nobody cares about (sweat).

But from here on out,
I think this is a story that will resonate with many people,
so I hope you'll stick with me!

Nozomin's book,
"The Days Built Up for That One Moment
—A Record of My Clumsy Son, Basketball, and Me—"

I'd like to write my thoughts, albeit a bit late.

After finishing the book, I
looked back on the past when my self-worth was shaken through my children
.

I definitely had a time when I carried that same pain,
and I realized that I somehow managed to overcome it.

This happens because it's someone you want to protect, someone precious to you,
so your own inner self gets shaken through that relationship.

So, perhaps
this isn't limited to just children.

However, speaking for myself personally,
I was entrusting my self-worth entirely to my children.

That's why my eldest son's mini-basketball days
were honestly nothing but painful.

It wasn't just about my son's performance,
but also about the relationships formed there,
where I created feelings of inferiority within myself.

This was likely because it was my precious son's community,
and I wanted things to go well too much.

I was trying too hard, wasn't I?

Through Nozomin's words,
I felt like, 'I see, so this is what I should have done,'
or 'It's okay to feel this way,'
and it felt like I was patting my past self on the head.

In terms of what mini-basketball and piano have in common,
I remembered that I was quite miserable
being swayed by my children's results.

Why can that child do it but not mine?
Should I make them practice more?
Why can't they try harder?
I want them to get better results!

Days when I would feel as down as if it were my own
whenever my child failed.

Thinking about it now,
it's the child who is working hard
and it's the child who is suffering the most,
so why was I reacting that way?
That's the question.

The boundary between my child and myself
had become extremely blurred.

Fortunately,
regarding this part, by gaining experience (?)
I was able to notice my own discomfort,
so it was resolved little by little.

And after reading Nozomin's book this time,
I was able to check my answers
on how I reached that point and how I moved forward.

Wait?
This was supposed to be a book review, but it turned into my own trip down memory lane... (sweat)

No, but really!
The thoughts Nozomin wrote about in the book,
I felt a storm of empathy!!

As I read on,
I felt the frustration and pain I had felt
regarding my child in the past
suddenly lighten in many ways.

It felt as if things that had been left in a mess
had been neatly organized.

Because I was able to tidy up,
my past self is surely smiling now.

Thank you for the wonderful reading experience✨
I'm so glad I was able to read it!