[Birthday Essay] I'm glad I could celebrate another year.

There is a possibility that I might never reach the year of my zodiac sign again.

That was what I thought during my surgery two winters ago.
I had my uterus and fallopian tubes removed.

I recovered surprisingly well and calmly, which made me think, 'Huh?'

I might be at my healthiest during this 'third year of my zodiac sign'.
This year, my birthday on September 16th was swelteringly hot again.

I'll get up today. I'll think about how to proceed from here in the morning.
I had decided that before I went to sleep.

At 7:20, my mother called out to me before she left for work.

'I'm leaving, but weren't you going to get up soon?'

'I'll get up... I'll get up when it's eight... have a good day...'

Of course, I didn't get up until just before 10:00.

Even at 36, the fact that I can't get up on some days hasn't changed.
I had a light breakfast and forced myself to think about future business strategies with an AI, despite my groggy head.

It seems like this is no time to be leisurely saying things like 'I'll live by avoiding client work'.
The business must be expanded or at least maintained.
And if welfare is not needed, I must reduce the support so it can go to those who truly need it.

The time until then is throbbing; the second hand keeps moving, but I am still only half-grown.

(Yeah, yeah, I'm still living off my parents even at 36, so things won't change overnight.)

Even so, I went to the adjustment meeting for my welfare support policy properly.

At the community activity support center, I spoke quietly about my future aspirations, mentioning a gradual shift toward a policy of standing on my own two feet.

(Though how much I can actually do remains an unknown.)

I have enough recovery to at least give it a try.
The rest depends on how much I can improve along with my physical stamina.

"I do think that by the time I'm around 40, I need to be able to manage my own life."

"40—that's four years from now. You're quite serious about this, aren't you, Mito-san?"

My caseworker nodded sideways while filling out documents on the PC.

"Well, my parents are getting older, and compared to normal people, I'm definitely behind."
"If I can finally catch up to the average person by then, I think that would be excellent for my own life."

(If possible, I hope that's how it turns out.)

It's soooooo hot!!!!

I stopped by a 100-yen shop on my way home, was completely exhausted, and did my usual moisturizing routine after my bath.

The lingering summer heat was intense this September 16th, too.
Is the Earth a demon?
I recall that the year I was born also had a brutal lingering summer.

(I don't have any memories of a September 16th that wasn't hot...)

Dinner was a continuation of the "mock sukiyaki" I made yesterday, a treat with extra meat and green onions added to the large pot.

My father, due to his age, goes to bed at 7:00 PM.
My father, who was always a morning person, has turned 65 and is exhausted by the heat that is raging even more fiercely.

(If things had gone differently, would I have been supporting my family and balancing it with a family of my own—)

It is almost certain that I will never be able to show my parents my own children.

More than that, aren't I just frail?

I'm home.

Welcome back, Dad already fell asleep.

What!? Already!?

Grandpa is such a handful, my mother said as she put down her bags after coming home.
Shopping on her way back from work is my mother's only pleasure.

This is a Shine Muscat shortcake.

A box from a shop in the station building.

I can't really do much else that feels like a birthday, you know.

This is more than enough. Thank you.

Yeah, it's delicious.

I said that many times while nibbling on the cake I had taken a picture of.

I am writing this article after finishing my work for the night.

I adjusted the image to look more like natural light than when I posted it on X.

A small, small shortcake from a Shine Muscat cake shop.

Even after finishing my work, I sigh at the remaining images.

This is good.

That's what I think.
Even if I compare myself to others, I am a cancer survivor, I have a mental illness, and I was told I had schizophrenia, which has a poor prognosis.

Admittedly, the doctor did tell me, 'Your development is considered normal'.

In my childhood, I had mild Eustachian tube stenosis, which caused poor hearing, so that had an effect as well.
Even so, I no longer have any trouble thinking clearly or communicating.

I pour barley tea into the glass that I just finished my decaf iced coffee in.

Slowly, ever so slowly.
That is how it has been for 36 years.

"I am happy with this."

Life is different for everyone.
Though sometimes I feel impatient, and sometimes I feel miserable.

"I am, indeed, happy with this."

My third time as the year of the zodiac animal.
To be able to welcome it, what a happy girl I am.

To everyone who celebrated with me again this year, thank you.

I love you all.
Oh, you don't need that? I see. Right.

I'll do my best again.
In moderation.

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Thank you for reading this far.

Let's meet again.
This was Mitoshi, owner of Mitoshi Works.