How shall I live from here on?
I sometimes see scenes of friends chatting in coffee shops or cafes.
About their children.
About their parents.
About their work.
The topics are all about very ordinary daily life.
But sometimes, I feel as though unspoken thoughts are flowing beneath those conversations.
How shall I live from here on?
It is a question like that.
The fifties might be a mysterious age.
Child-rearing has settled down, one's approach to work has changed, or caring for parents has become a reality.
It is a time to start thinking about how to spend the rest of one's life while looking back on the time spent working hard for the sake of others.
This song was born from such a casual afternoon scene.
A time of laughing while drinking tea with friends.
Even while getting excited over stories that haven't changed since the old days, there are moments when the conversation suddenly pauses.
In that quiet time,
What do I want to do from now on?
What kind of life do I want to live?
What did I actually like?
Such thoughts might be floating somewhere in the heart.
The phrase 'I want to try living in a town where I can see the sea' that appears in the lyrics is not just about moving.
It might be a longing for a way of life that is true to yourself, or perhaps a small curiosity about a path you had never chosen before.
Things that seemed unrealistic when I was young now look a little different, precisely because I have grown older.
The second half of life may not be a time to count the remaining hours, but a time to re-choose how you spend your own time.
Of course, the answer is not easily found.
There are things that did not come to pass.
There are things I have given up on.
There are also things I have lost.
Even so, I believe that the very act of being able to think about "how I want to live from here on" is a new step forward.
I would be happy if this song could gently nestle into the heart of someone who is in such a moment.
If you would like, please listen to the song I uploaded to YouTube.
I hope it becomes a catalyst for you to think about your own "future."