I think what you need is a little courage and the ability to take action

She and I are both wives of people who are frequently transferred for work.

We met when my son was in his first year of elementary school.
It started when her family moved into the apartment building where I lived.

She had a family of three.
She had a son.
Since he happened to be the same age as my son, we naturally became close.

The following spring, my family moved to another prefecture due to a job transfer.
We had only known each other for a year.

Over the past twenty-some years, while my family has moved three times due to transfers, her family has moved six times, far exceeding our count.

Even after we moved to different prefectures, we have managed to have lunch together a few times.

Fortunately, we have never failed to exchange New Year's cards, and that tradition continues to this day.
Then, in the New Year's card that arrived last year, it was written that she had returned to the prefecture where I live due to another transfer.
The same prefecture where we first met.
Compared to back then, we live quite far apart, but it is now a distance where we could meet if we wanted to right away.
Until then, I had the impression that her address changed every year on the New Year's cards I received from her.
Kanto, Kansai, and finally, Kyushu...

On New Year's Day this year, I was relieved to see the same address on her card.
(Though I was just relieved and didn't actually take any action.)

Then, a few weeks ago...

I suddenly received a LINE message from someone I didn't know.
When I opened the chat screen, it was her.

"I've been meaning to get in touch for a long time, I'm sorry it's taken until now. If you'd like, please add me!"
I was so happy that I replied immediately.

"Would you like to meet on Saturday?"

I invited her.
I was so happy that I wanted to see her right away.
Her reply was,

"I'm sorry. I have plans... How about the following Saturday?"
She replied again.
Unfortunately, I was scheduled to work that Saturday.

"How about either Saturday or Sunday the following week?"

I invited her again.

However, when I saw the LINE message she sent back immediately, I couldn't help but cry out.

She said she was moving on the Sunday, the day after the Saturday I told her I had to work.


It seems her husband's transfer had been decided again.
Now there were no days left on the weekend for us to meet.

But I really wanted to see her.
I wanted to reward her for the courage she showed in sending me a LINE message after all this time.

Thanks to a change in my department, it's relatively easy for me to work in the morning and take the afternoon off.
When I told her that, we were finally able to arrange to meet on a weekday afternoon.

She was happy that we could meet.
At the same time, she felt bad that I had taken time off.

I replied,
"I think reuniting with you is priceless, far beyond the value of a few hours of part-time wages, so please don't worry about it at all!"

Actually, there is one thing I want to thank her for when I see her.

While I was struggling with my son's school refusal, I traveled to her prefecture for day trips a few times to have lunch with her.

At that time, even though she asked me about my son's school trip, I couldn't bring myself to say he was refusing to go to school, so I gave a vague answer.

She was a gentle person who always raised her only son with a soft, relaxed atmosphere.

At the time, I couldn't tell her that my own son was refusing to go to school and that I was leaving him at home during the day just to come out and have fun like this.

And for me back then, those few hours spent with her were a great change of pace.

I was truly saved by the fact that she never pried into my family's affairs every time we met.
(Even now, she doesn't know anything, and she probably never even dreamed that I was thinking that way back then...)

So, I have decided that when we reunite, I will properly thank her.

You can meet again with people you have a connection with.

Now that I am in my late 50s, I find myself realizing this more and more.

Just one year.
She lived in the same apartment building as me.

But the fact that we can manage our time to meet again like this means that I really did have a connection with her.

And, in order to reunite,a little courage and the ability to take action.
I realized that those are also necessary.


I want to thank her for the courage she showed in sending me that LINE message.
And I want to spend a fun time with her on the day.

Oh, but...
All the various things that have happened to me and my family over the blank years...
Will I be able to tell her everything in just a few hours?

By the way, I have other friends who are also in families that move frequently for work.
Following her example of courage, I think I will try to get in touch with some old friends.

Thank you for reading.
I am grateful for the connections I have made.