A Christmas where I learned the meaning of a little patience
After reading Sana-san's wonderful Christmas article, I felt like writing about my own childhood memories.
I have many shortcomings. Among them, being short-tempered, or having zero patience comes to mind first.
On the other hand, my strong-willed nature has not changed since I was a child. When I found toys or picture books I wanted at a store, I wouldn't leave the target, which troubled my mother.
I wonder if that was when I was five or six years old. When I followed my mother on her shopping trips, my eyes would catch on something.
<A wooden house>
I want it so badly! I insisted, but my mother dragged me away from the spot, saying, "Be patient!."
In December of that year, my sister encouraged me to write a letter to Santa, so I wrote down about ten things I wanted, haha.
On the morning of December 25th, when I woke up, there was a beautifully wrapped large box next to my futon. When I opened it, yes, it was that wooden house.
On top of it was a letter from Santa, too!
"I have to give presents to other children too, so I can only give you one, but if you are a good child again next year, I will bring you more" (it was probably all in hiragana).
Thinking about it now, I realize that my father, mother, and sister were working together to make me happy, but at the time, it was exactly the dream a child imagines: "Santa brought me what I wanted."
I still haven't forgotten the joy of that moment.
More than a decade later, I started spending Christmas in America and learned the joy of opening presents placed under the Christmas tree on Christmas day.
My family wasn't Christian, and we had zero international background, but when I think about how much they went out of their way to create childhood memories for me, my eyes well up. Even the toys cost a significant amount of money.
From that experience, I learned a lesson as a child that if you endure wanting something, the joy of getting it later is doubled (though I doubt that lesson is being put to use now...)
When the Christmas season arrives, I find myself savoring the importance of being a little patient, along with memories from a long, long time ago.
Merry Christmas to everyone here! Wishing you a joyful and peaceful holiday season. (I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!)