[My Story Part 2] "The Old Man Started Walking"—The Moment I Chose to "Sing" and Left Stability Behind

Hello everyone. This is Marimo.

Marimo's new venture[Creating Your Own "Story" (Profile)] project!

This time, I am delivering the second installment of a series where I, Marimo, act as the test subject and answer five questions with complete sincerity.

Thank you to everyone who read the previous article!

I would be so happy if there were people who thought, "How would I answer that myself?"

Now, here is the momentous second question!

"② The Trigger: Is there an 'unforgettable event,' 'scenery you saw,' 'that moment,' or 'words spoken to you' that became the catalyst for starting your current activities?"

Let's get started♪

"② The Trigger: Is there an 'unforgettable event,' 'scenery you saw,' 'that moment,' or 'words spoken to you' that became the catalyst for starting your current activities?"

Currently, I stand on stage as a "singer" and create stories (picture books), but in the past, I held a national license as a "physical therapist" and worked in hospitals and facilities.

I received a stable salary and was in a socially privileged environment.

Even so, the reason I let go of that stability and jumped into the path of an "expresser" is because there was an "intense trigger" that I simply could not forget.

I have talked about it here and there during live MCs and on the radio, so some of you may already know... yes, it is the story of that "legendary moment when the old man started walking (lol)."

That happened on the day a Respect for the Aged Day event was held at the facility where I worked.

I was given the opportunity to deliver a song there, for which I was very grateful.

My daily work at that facility was to help the residents I was in charge of one-on-one to become independent in their daily activities.

There was an old man I had been in charge of for about two years. Even when I visited his room, he would not try to get out of bed, and time would just pass by without me being able to provide the help I had hoped for.

Then, on the day of that Respect for the Aged Day event, he was also there in the back, sitting in his wheelchair watching the stage.

The moment after I sang the beginning of the song I chose for that day, "Furusato" (Hometown)—"Chasing rabbits in those mountains, fishing for crucian carp in that river"—...

'Chase the rabbit, you say...!' He stood up straight and began to walk toward me.

At that moment, a shock ran through me, as if something had pierced right through my head.

After that, I barely remember how I managed to get through the rest of my allotted time.

There was only an overwhelming impulse driving me forward.

And so, the next day, I submitted my resignation.
(Though, naturally, I wasn't allowed to quit immediately... that's only to be expected, right? ^^;)

Looking back on it now, I never imagined I would let go of a stable future as a physical therapist, and when I think about it calmly, it feels a bit terrifying.

But I simply could not suppress the miracle the old man showed me that day, nor the burning emotions and impulses that welled up from within me.

The origin of why I stand here today as a 'singer' lies entirely in that 'moment'.

💡 Thoughts on answering this

By facing this 'trigger' this time, I was able to strongly reaffirm my starting point once again.

Everyone must have that 'one moment' or 'unforgettable word' that became the catalyst for who they are today.

It might not just be a glamorous success story; it could be a moment of frustration or the sight of someone's smile.

What kind of event was the 'unforgettable trigger' that moved your life?

Please, try to think back on it.

Next time, I will answer '(3) Emotions: What do you feel is the happiest or most joyful part of your activities? Conversely, what is something you actually find difficult?'!

It's only the second installment of this series, but I'm really exposing a lot about myself, aren't I? (laughs)

Look forward to the next one!