Even though I was just walking hand in hand with my daughter, for some reason I was always in a hurry

Thank you for finding this article among the many on note. I am Pino, a physical therapist of 10 years, now working as a manipulative therapist, living with my husband, my 7-year-old child, and a rabbit.

Today, I'm going to talk about the time I went shopping for my daughter.
It's a story about realizing that an ordinary shopping trip was an irreplaceable "today".

I was building "efficiency" in my head on my own

It was nothing special, just a regular shopping trip. I wasn't going to be late for anything. I didn't have any plans afterward. And yet, for some reason, I was walking fast...

Going to the toy store, then the 100-yen shop, and then a place to eat.

While walking, I had unconsciously built a route in my head.
I thought, "Once I go there, I'll go here next. Since that shop and this shop are close, it's efficient to go in this order."

No one asked me to, and no one was timing me.
It was just that I had set up that kind of schedule on my own.

And before I knew it, I was walking as if I were pulling my daughter's hand.
I didn't pull her hard, but there was a moment when I suddenly came to my senses and thought, "Wait? Am I rushing her?" My shoulders had also become tense without me realizing it.

Even though I was holding "that hand" I always hold

Previously, in an article called "The Power of Palms," I wrote about how holding my daughter's hand somehow makes me feel relieved. Even though we are just touching, my heart strangely calms down. I have been saved by that warmth many times.

That day, too, I was holding my daughter's hand the whole time.
The same warm hand. A hand that should have been enough to calm me down.

Yet, I was too busy worrying about the schedule in my head to notice that warmth at all. I was holding her hand, but I wasn't feeling it.

When I realized that, I felt like I had been doing something wasteful.

My daughter followed me without saying a word

While we were walking, my daughter didn't say anything in particular.
She didn't say "too fast" or "wait," she just followed me silently.

On the way, she seemed to have her eyes caught by shops and events that interested her. Maybe she actually wanted to go there. Even so, she just quietly followed me toward the destination I had decided on.

The moment my daughter let go of my hand, I came to my senses

In the midst of that, my daughter suddenly let go of my hand and headed toward something she wanted to see.

My daughter doesn't really like shopping, but the day she gets to buy something for herself is different. She finds something she's interested in and approaches it with her eyes sparkling. When I saw how happy she looked, I finally remembered.

"Oh, that's right. I came here to buy something for my daughter today."

The real reason I was in a hurry wasn't time

Looking back, it wasn't time itself that was rushing me.

A schedule I had made up on my own, thinking, 'Once we go there, we'll go here next.' Even though no one had set it for me, I was leaning forward, trying to stick to it.

My goal wasn't supposed to be getting around efficiently.

Yet, before I knew it, that had become my top priority.

When I slowed my pace, the scenery I saw changed

After I came to my senses seeing my daughter's happy face, I decided to put efficiency aside for a moment and slow down my pace.

Then, strangely enough, I started noticing shops I had previously walked right past. I even felt a spark of interest, thinking, 'Oh, they sell things like this, too.' The tension in my shoulders just melted away.

Here, let me talk a little about the body.When your body is leaning forward and rushing, your center of gravity unconsciously shifts toward your toes. At times like that, just stand on your tiptoes as high as you can and let your heels drop with a thud. That alone will bring your center of gravity, which had been leaning forward, right back to your center.

Perhaps that day, without even realizing it, I was reclaiming myself in that way. Even though I was in the same time and the same shops, what I saw was completely different.

This time itself is precious

Holding my daughter's hand and walking through shops. This time, in reality, may not last that long.

In the not-too-distant future, I think my daughter will say, 'I want to go by myself,' and holding hands or walking side-by-side will no longer be something I can take for granted.

Thinking of it that way, I realized that the time I spent trying to be efficient was actually very precious. It's not about what we bought, but who we were with and what kind of time we spent together. In truth, that should be what matters most.

A mundane shopping trip. The space inside a mundane shop.Even that can be an irreplaceable 'today'.

You don't have to be in such a hurry

Even on ordinary days, we tend to find ourselves in a hurry.Even though there is no set time, we build up our own efficiency and lean forward on our own.When I realized I had been pulling my daughter's hand, I was a little startled.

But I'm glad I noticed it. And that's okay.

These are words I want to tell my past self from that day, and also words I want to gently deliver to you, who might be spending today feeling chased by something.

At a speed where you can truly notice the warmth of the hand you're holding.
At a speed where you can tightly embrace the daily life you love.
Why don't you try walking just a little bit like that today?

Thank you very much for reading until the end.
If you thought, "I can relate to this," it would be a great encouragement if you could like or follow. Please feel free to leave a comment as well.

I also make LINE stickers. Please take a look if you'd like.

#DailyLife #ParentingMom #ShoppingRelatables #ParentChildTime #SoloParenting #SelfCare #BodyCare #PhysicalTherapist #Seitai #TakingItSlowIsFine

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[Qualifications & Background]
Physical Therapist (10 years of clinical experience)
Certified Respiratory Therapist (3-Society Joint)
Completed Bobath Adult Advanced Course
Completed Bobath Pediatric Basic Course
Seitai Practitioner