2025/03/22 A Morning Sending Off My Daughters ~ Entrusting Them Gently to Kind Hands ~

2025/03/22

"Lunch box! And did you pack your pom-poms too?"

A busy morning preparing to leave.
This is their fifth cheer dance camp. However, this time it's a course practicing slightly more advanced "acrobatics" than usual.

When we arrived at the meeting place, there were clearly older girls from higher grades, and I felt a bit uneasy.

"Will they be okay... will they be able to keep up?"

I watched over my second daughter with that anxious feeling.
Just then, my daughters ran off, saying, "Oh, it's the older girls we always see!"

"We're with the older girls again!"

My second daughter told me with excitement. There were the two older girls they often see at camp.

"We're in the same room and the same team!"

Knowing that,I felt the tension in my shoulders melt away.When I made eye contact with them, they waved at me with a smile.

I told the two older girls, "Thank you for always taking care of them."

"Not at all! They're just so cute."

Their smiles warmed my heart. Even though they are called "older girls," both of them areelementary school students,but they arealways very kind

to both me and my daughters. It felt like passing a baton to these kind hands as my daughters gradually grow away from my own.

It will be okay; I'm sure this experience will make them a little stronger again. I was able to think that thanks to the"straightforward kindness"of these older girls.

Small pleasures, for myself

The brief moment of quiet after sending the children off.

I head to a local Chinese restaurant I've been curious about.
A shrimp chili set meal where I can have all the shrimp to myself, which would usually be taken by the kids.

A generous portion of shrimp appeared, coated in a vibrant red sauce. It's a luxury to slowly savor the shrimp that I usually only get a bite or two of.
The plump texture and rich sauce melt together in my mouth, making the rice go down easily. Amazing!

Stuffing my cheeks with the piping hot shrimp, I think, "Ah, this is happiness." It became a lunch that gently satisfied all five senses.

In the afternoon, I returned home to clear up small chores while taking time to open my planner little by little.

Writing shopping lists, thinking about spring clothes, choosing books I want to read, and considering draft posts for note or future content—I face things little by little that I would usually rush through.

As I write down reflections and plans, I feel my heart strangely becoming organized. It was an afternoon where I deeply felt the preciousness of being able to have this time to face myself amidst the busy daily life.

A day like a rehearsal for leaving the nest

My children are increasingly having"their own worlds."I feel a little sad about that, and also happy.

Both are honest, and both are important feelings.Watching the backs of my daughters as they headed to camp, I waved, as if to tell myself, "It will surely be okay."

For a child's growth, interaction with various people is necessary, not just parents.

This is how they gradually leave their parents' hands.

I'm sure this time today is also something like

"a rehearsal for leaving the nest,"and I believe thatthe experience of being treated kindly by someone will lead to the next kindness.

Even if small, "time for myself" is a treasure

Time thinking about my children. Time facing myself.
Both are irreplaceable to me.

Balancing these two is always difficult. But on days like today, when I could focus on each time, my heart feels full.

Especially after working hard for someone else, I want to set aside a little time for myself.

A day where I can acknowledge myself, saying, "You did your best today."

What did you do for yourself today?

A little pleasure, a quiet moment, a small reward...
What kind of "me-time" were you able to spend?

\ To you who wants to "tidy up" your life and heart a little /
Even in a busy daily life, I write tips on how to cherish yourself on note.

▼ Tips for tidying up your morning time are here

▼ Tips for making lunch boxes without overdoing it are here

Thank you for reading until the end!

Even if it's a hectic day, if you can find small "happy" or "fun" moments, that's enough.

I would be happy if even a little bit of room was created in your heart. Well then, see you again!