The Story of a Best Friend I Finally Met After 30 Years

"Oh! This one is due today."
"Is this one due tomorrow...?"
As the year draws to a close,
like the bells of New Year's Eve,
my monologue continues to ring out night after night.
Are you spending the end of the year in a relaxed way?
I am still being chased by deadlines.
Inside my refrigerator, packed with desires,
lured by the enchanting phrase 'a reward for my hard work'...
I am spending the end of the year in a flurry
over the expiration dates of my snacks.
Even though I bought them thinking they would last a while,
a year goes by in the blink of an eye, doesn't it?
How do you feel about the speed
at which the seasons change?
Every year, I realize it through the expiration dates of my snacks.

At the end of this year,
when I thought about what to write on note,
what popped into my heart
was my 74-year-old best friend.
There is a 36-year age gap between us,
we met through volunteering,
and because we both love cafes,
we hit it off immediately.
It has been a long friendship of eight years since we met.
We meet once a month,
and we spent Christmas together
drinking cocoa.
We believe that time spent in a cafe
is the same as breathing.
It is an ultimate choice, but
if asked which you would prefer:
eating luxury sweets at home,
or drinking only water at a cafe,
we would both immediately answer
that we would choose the latter.
She once ran a coffee shop,
so her charm overflows from within,
and she is a youthful and wonderful person.
Furthermore, she has a clear will
and is very light on her feet.
If the cafe we go to is disappointing,
"I don't feel like this is the right place for me. What do you think?"
she will clearly state her opinion.
Even if we have plans to meet,
she says, "If something urgent comes up for either of us,
let's just meet when the timing works out."
She makes it easy for me, which I appreciate.
I am not good at textbook-style relationships
where you put on a good face and have harmless conversations,
so I love this part of her immensely.
And above all,
our sensibilities are very similar.
Just like the person I wrote about in a previous article,
https://note.com/m915/n/n3dd245d285b2
she is a rare and precious person in my world.

The relationships I had since I was young
were somewhat predetermined.
Women may have experienced this,
but unique girls' groups were formed,
and before I knew it, I was trapped in a situation I couldn't escape.
Even though I knew it didn't suit me,
I couldn't take a step outside.
In a sense, I was under the illusion
that the suffocating territory
called a 'safe zone' was comfortable.
It is a bit late and embarrassing,
but recently, I have finally
been able to socialize
in a way that fits my own field.
By proactively changing my conservative approach to relationships,
I have been able to meet people
who make my heart feel HAPPY!
Meeting my best friend
was also a connection made because I went to volunteer
and started a conversation.
If you currently feel uncomfortable
with the relationships surrounding you,
why not try to find the courage together next year
and take that first step?

I am sure that you will meet not only others,but also a new version of yourself.

I have written at length,
but as I prepare for the New Year,
I will enjoy my snacks so that there is room for Osechi,
and I will change the field of my refrigerator too ✩
Well then, have a happy New Year.

               𑁍𓏸𓈒𓂃❁⃘𓈒𓏸𓂃◌𓈒𓏲𓆸𓂃 𓈒𓏸𑁍‬

      To you who are reading this article·͜·♥

Thank you for always watching.
A year has passed since I started note this year.
I knew about note,
but I was worried that writing and conveying things to people
might be too high a hurdle for me,
so I couldn't bring myself to start.
But when I took the plunge and took that first step,
I made connections with all of you here,
and I was able to go into a new world.
Since it had been a long time since I wrote anything,
there were some awkward parts,
and I sometimes felt anxious
wondering if my message was getting through,
but thanks to you pressing the 'like' button
and leaving comments,
it was very encouraging.
And I was able to keep writing.
Thank you for all your replies.
I am nobody special,
but I started note with the desire
to be some kind of support
for those reading by writing about my own experiences.
I want to cherish this original intention
and continue writing next year.
Thank you for this year as well.
May the New Year be a year full of happiness
for you.

2025.12.30

                    From Turedure-naru-mama-ni

                 𑁍𓏸𓈒𓂃❁⃘𓈒𓏸𓂃◌𓈒𓏲𓆸𓂃 𓈒𓏸𑁍‬