Letters on the Breeze from Okinawa

Hello, greetings to you.

Yesterday, I was looking after my granddaughter who had a fever.
Her father took her to the hospital, and I agreed to look after her at our house while he was at work.

I am keenly aware that parental support is essential for raising children, and that dual-income households cannot function without help from those around them.


In our day, that was also the norm.
My mother, who was a full-time housewife, would tell me at every opportunity:
"From now on, it's better for women to have a career, too."


I lost my twin sisters, and last year I also said goodbye to my youngest sister, but the words of my mother, who gave birth to and raised eight children in total, carried a certain weight.


Thanks to following my mother's advice, going to university, and working as a civil servant for a long time while balancing a dual-income life, I never had to worry about money.

Now, my gratitude for my mother wells up once again. We should listen to the wisdom of those who came before us.

Society has changed, and now that dual-income households are the norm, supporting grandchildren has also become a "normal" sight.

I received a worried message from my daughter on LINE asking, "Is M doing okay?" The heart that thinks of one's own child is something you only understand once you become a parent. Perhaps my daughter has finally reached that threshold.

When her father brought her over, her temperature was 36.6 degrees, but she had no appetite during the day.

At times like that, the best thing to do is to let them eat what they like, no questions asked. When I offered her the strawberry ice cream and pudding I had bought, she ate them right up. This, too, is the wisdom of experience.

She is not back to her usual self yet, but she seems to be gradually regaining her energy.

A precious grandchild born to my beloved daughter.
I cherish this time playing together, and I cannot help but wish to watch over her in good health until she is grown.

So this is how the baton of life is passed on.



At our house, we call our granddaughter's weekend schedule her "official duties."
These past two days, she had a full schedule of official duties.

Saturday the 25th was the parent-child field trip, and Sunday the 26th was the Seimeisai (Shimi) festival, where the whole clan gathers.
Regional events in Okinawa can place a heavy burden on women, but recently, things have been gradually improving.

Perhaps this time, the fatigue from those major events happening back-to-back finally caught up with her.

Although the distance between the north and south makes it difficult to visit frequently, there is no distinction between grandchildren from my daughter or my son. Isn't it best for all of us to cherish and raise our blood-related grandchildren together?

How do you all support each other in raising children and grandchildren?
If you'd like, please feel free to share it with me.

◉ Today's Golden Words

Hito nu taki ya umanchu nu du hakayuru
(Hito nu taki ya umanchu nu du hakayuru)
"A person's stature is measured by the many."

"I know everything. I have done this and that." Even if you act arrogant like that, if society does not recognize you, you cannot be called great.
It means that a person's value is not something you claim yourself, but something that people in the world evaluate and recognize.

In the past, it was considered good to be humble and modest, not speaking much about oneself.

◉ Today's Flower: Shell Ginger (Getto)


Flower language: "Refreshing," "Strong will"
"Courage," "Determination"
It also serves as a charm against evil. The leaves play a role in an event called Muchi.
It is said that when shell ginger flowers bloom, the rainy season will arrive soon.

◉ Today's Song: "Song of the Shell Ginger" by Yutaka Haizu

It has a sense of sorrow and is strongly associated with June 23rd,
but it blooms around this time of year.

See you again 👋