🏮My father is at the end of the welcoming fire line✨

Good evening, this is Miki❤️

Today is the day we light the welcoming fire at our home.
It is the second Obon since my father passed away.

As I lit the fire, I suddenly thought,
Will my father be able to find his way home properly?

They say the welcoming fire is lit so that our ancestors can return home without getting lost.
Hearing that makes me a little worried.

It's not that I'm worried he'll get lost and not be able to come back,
but rather that he'll be too busy meddling in others' business and forget to come home...

He was a very talkative person to begin with.
Having been in the debate club during his student days,
he would rattle on with perfect logic.
And he didn't just talk.
He would observe the situation, chime in, make arrangements, and take charge of everything.

So I'm sure he's the same in the world beyond.

"You don't belong over there."
"Hey, your house is over that way, isn't it?"
"Make sure you follow along properly."

I can imagine him giving instructions to the people around him one after another like that.

He would send everyone else off before thinking about his own return.
If there were someone confused about their first Obon,
I feel like he wouldn't leave them alone even more.

And then, only after he finished guiding everyone,

"Alright, I guess I'll head home too,"

he would turn around.

That's when my father would realize for the first time,

"Wait, the fire's already gone out, hasn't it?"

I think that's probably how it goes.

When I imagined that, I couldn't help but find it funny.
Obon is supposed to be a somber time,
but whenever I think of my father, I can't help but smile a little.

It's not that I don't feel sad or lonely, of course.
But it's not just that.

Remembering someone who has passed away
might not just be about counting the fact that they are gone,
but about bringing their personality back into the house once more.

Their tone of voice,
their habits,
the situations where you think, "He would say something like that."

When I remember those things,
even if I can't see him, I feel like he has truly come home.

The role of the welcoming fire is to serve as a guidepost.
But for those of us on this side watching the fire,

"You're welcome to come home again this year,"

I think it's also a signal to convey that.


To my old man,

taking care of everyone is just like you,
but don't be too late, and please come home properly today.

If the fire has gone out, you'll probably say this:

"Good grief, don't put it out before I get there."

But I'm sure you'll come home even while complaining.

My father is at the end of the welcoming fire line.

An Obon like that is a little interesting, and not bad at all.

How are you all spending your Obon?
I hope your loved ones also return home without taking any detours.

Thank you for reading until the end✨

#ToGrandmaAndGrandpa #LearnFromThisExperience #Essay #DailyLife #Life #Realizations #Family #Gratitude #Emotions #Thoughts #Feelings #Memories