I felt a sense of dread realizing I've reached the age where I'm the one giving out New Year's money.

While I was giving New Year's money to my relatives' children,
my relatives all asked, "How old are you this year?" and "Has it really been that long?"
I chuckled a little at their words, but I had been thinking the same thing myself.

Time moves forward steadily, without saying a word.
Before I knew it, I was no longer the one being protected,
and I am gradually becoming the one from whom things are expected.

Yet, have I changed enough to be proud of who I am now?
When I think about it that way, I feel like I'm still not there yet.

That's why this year, I want to make it a year where I change my current situation.
I am choosing what I can do now so that I won't have regrets when I change jobs in the future.
It is an action taken to leave options open for my future self.

It doesn't matter if it's small.
I want to keep building without running away,
and be someone who can say "I've moved forward properly" a year from now.