Thoughts for Tanabata

Hello everyone✨ It's Hiro.

Also known as Hirotan🐼

August 1st marked one year since I started writing on note.

I truly believe that I was able to keep it up for a year thanks to all of you. And yet, I completely forgot to write an appreciation post😰😰

I will write again about the reason I started note, and the initial direction of my note posts.

A lot has really happened in the year since I started note.

But even more significant than that was the "
connection" I formed with so many people.

Even though we are strangers who have never met, we encourage each other and share laughs.

I think it is precisely because I formed such warm connections that I have been able to continue this far.

To everyone who reads my posts, thank you so much😊

And today, in my region, it isTanabata.

There is a custom of celebrating Tanabata according to the lunar calendar, where we write various wishes on strips of paper, such as for family health, a bountiful harvest, and the healthy growth of children, and use them for decorations.

In my family, we have been putting up Tanabata decorations every year since I was a child.

Now, my nephews and nieces work hard to make decorations and bring them over, and decorating together has become an annual joy🎋

We put up the decorations this year just like always.

But this year, there was one thing different from usual.

On the strips of paper, I also included a wish forthe earliest possible recovery of Kumamoto.

There are still areas where water outages continue, and many people are living difficult lives.

I am sure there are many hardships that are not conveyed in the news, and many harsh realities that can only be understood on the ground.

A person I've become close with over the past year, Tokidoki-san,
also lives in Kumamoto.

Fortunately, they said they didn't suffer any major injuries.

However, their home was scattered with items, and they have been busy cleaning up.

Just because there were no major injuries doesn't mean that everything is okay now.

I believe the inconvenience of not being able to live a normal life and the feelings of anxiety still continue.

That is why, for this year's Tanabata, I wished more strongly than ever before.

May the days when everyone can live with peace of mind and smiles return as soon as possible.

With this earthquake, I once again thought about, "What is support?" "What can I do?"

The form of support really is different for everyone, isn't it?

This time, I made a small donation.

And I wrote my wish for Kumamoto on a Tanabata strip.

That is the form of support I can offer right now.

Even in daily life, whenever I see donation boxes at supermarkets or convenience stores, I make it a point to put in whatever small change I have left in my wallet.

Sometimes I can only put in a very small amount.

But if that small amount can be of help to someone, then I think that is fine.

And one more thing, I believe that "praying" is also a form of support.

There is a concept called 'kotodama' (the spirit of words), and I feel that there is a mysterious power in the feelings of thinking of others and
wishing for someone's happiness or safety.
It feels like there is a mysterious power in those feelings.

Of course, it might be that nothing changes just by doing that.

Even so, I believe that the feeling of wishing, 'I hope you can return to your normal life soon' or
'I hope today will be a slightly better day,' is never in vain.

In this world, not only in Kumamoto, there are many people who are experiencing pain and sadness due to accidents, incidents, disasters, and more.

I believe there are many people who need support in places I don't even know about.

That is why I intend to continue doing what I can,
in my own way, from now on as well.

This year's Tanabata became a day where I once again poured those thoughts into a strip of paper.

I hope that the kindness and compassion of each and every person will make someone's tomorrow even a little brighter.

Hang in there!!! Kumamoto!!!

Let's do our best!! Japan!!!🇯🇵

*There are various ways to donate, so
I would appreciate it if you could choose a method that is easy for you, within your means.

A typhoon is forming, but I sincerely hope that
there will be no damage in any region.(｡>人<)