If It Could Come True

I realized that there are not many dreams I have wished for
with the words "If it could come true" that actually have.

"If it could come true"

I want to be bilingual,
no, I want to be trilingual!

Even though I can't even hold a daily conversation in English...

"If it could come true"

I want to travel the world in first class!

Even though I rarely even fly in economy class these days...

"If it could come true"

I wish I could play any song brilliantly like a pianist!

Even though the only song I can play with both hands is "Flea Waltz"...

Many of my "If it could come true" wishes
are like this and have not been realized.

But were those really dreams that I truly wanted to come true from the bottom of my heart?

Did I ever take even the slightest action
or put in any effort to make those dreams come true?

To be honest, the answer is "NO"

(I say that with full confidence, saying "NO" with a laugh)

Since I was only imagining dreams and not taking any specific action, there was no way my dreams would come true so easily.

Even if you just sit around waiting for a "windfall," dreams don't come true that easily.

However, regarding the things I truly wanted to do,
even if they might seem small to others,
I feel like I have managed to make a few of them come true.

When I met my husband,

"I want to marry this person"I thought, and I was able to marry him,

(Actually, my mother was vehemently opposed to me marrying him~)

"I want to live in a detached house"
When I thought that,
I worked hard at saving money and cutting costs,
and I was able to purchase my dream home.

Having suffered a serious illness when I was young,
I had almost given up on having children, but

"I really do want children"When I thought that,
despite various challenges, I was able to be blessed with two daughters.

When we moved three years ago in the summer, too,
"I will definitely live in the apartment of my dreams"I strongly desired it and took action,
and I remember making that happen...

Looking back like this, in my case, the moment I think "If it could come true,"
it seems I have already put that into the category of dreams that won't come true.

Instead of "If it could come true,"

the things I truly wished from my heart to "make come true"
are things I feel I have been able to achieve quite a bit of, though of course not all of them.

About 20 years ago, when I was in my 40s and frequently traveling abroad with my family,

a mom friend of mine

I was once told with a hint of sarcasm, "It must be nice for you to be able to travel abroad. If I had money like you, I could take my family overseas too..." (bitter laugh)

I have truly loved traveling abroad since I was single,
and I just wanted to share that joy with my family,
so I put my mind to it and made it happen.

But that mom friend of mine made a snide remark, calling it a dream that couldn't come true for her.

Whether or not you achieve what you want to do (your dream)
might just come down to whether you truly,
from the bottom of your heart, want to make it happen.

If that mom friend really wanted to travel abroad,
she could have just gone without being sarcastic to me,
(sorry for repeating this so persistently 💦)

While there are people who can fulfill dreams I cannot,

there are also people who cannot fulfill the dreams I have realized.

That is why there is no point in comparing the dreams you want to fulfill with others, let alone envying someone else.

After all, everyone's dreams and goals are different to begin with.

Even if it is a trivial dream that others might call "nothing special,"

if it is a dream you want to fulfill for yourself,

don't be embarrassed, don't hesitate,

and even if it is slow and steady, you will surely be able to reach it.

Even if it takes a detour...

So from now on, for the things I truly want to come true,

I will stop saying, "If only it could come true."

Because in my case, the moment I think that, I have already given up on making it happen...

I want to think about "what I can do to make my dream come true" and take action, even if it's just a little bit.

If I do that, even if it takes time, my dreams (the things I want to do) will surely come true.

Just as I was able to marry my husband,

Just as I was blessed with my daughters,

Just as I was able to experience my beloved overseas travel with my family many times,

Just as I was able to obtain the wonderful apartment life I had longed for,

Even past the age of 60, I still have many dreams I want to fulfill, both big and small,
and I am excited, perhaps unbecoming of my age, thinking, "I will surely make them come true."

The fact that I have been able to continue writing on note for over four years

This, too, is a dream I have fulfilled.

If I had dreamed from the beginning, "If only I could write a blog," I surely would not have realized writing a blog even now.

When I started on note four years ago in October, it began with just a single short post, like a tweet.

And over those four years, it wasn't all fun; there were times when I struggled, found it hard to keep going, and even thought about quitting.

But I didn't want to give up on my dream of continuing to write on note...

And as I kept writing steadily, before I knew it, my dream had come true.
(Though it is still a work in progress...)

Dreams start to move the moment you seriously decide you want to do something and commit to it.
They really do.

Perhaps when a dream starts to move and you keep moving toward it, you are just as fulfilled and absorbed in it as you are when the dream actually comes true.
Maybe that's how it is.

Some people set big goals and achieve them, but it seems I don't do well when I look at big dreams from the start (laughs).

I move slowly like a turtle,

and maybe it suits me better to reach the goal before I even realize it.
That might be my style.

This year, I was able to fulfill two of the dreams I had set as goals.

There is one more thing I couldn't do, but I will carry that over as a dream for next year.

I hope the dream you want to fulfill comes true as well!

Thank you so much for reading my note
for another year,
and for all your kind words and encouraging comments.

This will be my final note for this year.

I am truly filled with gratitude toward all of you.

I wish you all a wonderful New Year♪

I look forward to your continued support next year.