When asked, 'Mom, what was your dream when you were in middle school?'

"Do you remember what you wanted to be
when you were in middle school??"

My daughter asked me that the other day.

Actually, to be honest,
I couldn't recall it right away.

Or rather,
I feel like I didn't really have one...😅

I feel like I had various dreams
until I was in the lower grades of elementary school.

"I want to be an idol, sing, and dance"

→ Back then, I used to practice with my friends on the landing of the stairs during recess.

"That cute cafe in the magazine or book looks nice"

→ I thought it would be super happy to work at a cafe or cake shop, wearing a cute uniform and surrounded by cute sweets💗

Oh, that's right.

Since becoming an adult, I once had a conversation about
“how I want to spend my retirement” (lol)

At that time,

spending time relaxing at a book cafe where I can read as many books as I like and enjoy delicious coffee and sweets

☕️ (← leaving the management to someone else)

That’s the kind of thing that came up...

But you know, my
“dream” from junior high through college and beyond,

I just can't think of what that was.

Perhaps because things like entrance exams and career paths
made everything more realistic.


“Childhood dreams are probably just fairy tales, aren't they?💦”
“I really need to think about my future realistically, don't I?💦”

I tried to look at things objectively,

but then I couldn't find anything,
and I thought maybe that was just a period of conflict.

I told my daughter exactly what I’ve written here,
just as it is, but...

Then, did I really have nothing I could call a dream back then?

I was curious about that,
so I kept thinking back on it after that.

That was,

to become someone who writes books😊

I think that's what I was thinking (or so I feel).

That is because I believe I myself
was greatly helped by books.

In every era, I had favorite books, and
the time I spent reading was my healing time🍀

There were times I begged for books for my birthday, and
times when I was so happy to read books that were a bit beyond my years.

There were books I picked up when I was troubled, and
books I bought because they just struck a chord.

There were times when I was too busy
to read at all, but
I always come back to them.

For me, that is what books are📖

Remembering that,
I told my daughter exactly what it was.

Perhaps, for me,
books and the act of 'writing'

have always been close to me,
and were things I loved...

Surely, everyone
might have something like that in their lives.

That might
directly connect to a dream,
or it might not.

But, I want to continue to cherish such things,
and I want them to cherish them too.

When we start thinking about entrance exams and career paths,
both parents and children (← perhaps especially parents?)

✔ Named professions
✔ Generally well-known job types
✔ Jobs we have experience with or can imagine
✔ Things that seem realistically doable

We tend to want to list things like these
as our future dreams, but...

But you know,

I like drawing illustrations
I like playing instruments
I like planning game strategies
I like my favorite character
I like composing music
I like singing
I like LEGO
I like trains

Something this close to you“what you love”can absolutely
lead to a dream
at all

In fact, isn't that wonderful?✨✨

Perhaps some people might think
that it's obvious, but

it's actually quite common
to lose sight of
this obvious thing~

When I think about it carefully,
when my child was born,

“If this child is healthy and smiling, I am happy🌸”

is what I was thinking...

And, presumably, that is
what parents everywhere wish for...

In other words,

“Both you and I are healthy and smiling”
↓
“Happy🌸”

isn't that what it means??

I realized I had already made my dream come true 😆

Wait, what were we talking about again? (lol)
But, maybe that's fine as it is.
I've started to feel that way too.

And since
my big dream has already come true,

why not just go ahead and make
my other wishes come true too?

It's fine to expand on
what you've always loved.

For now, it's fine to study various things
and think about it from there.
(← This is my son)

It's fine to keep your beloved illustration as a hobby
and think about something else.
(← This is my daughter)

It's fine to realize you loved writing
and think about what you can do with that.
(← This is me)

It's okay to have many dreams,
and it's okay for them to change.

It's okay if they are the same as someone else's,
and it's okay if they are something unknown.

Even if there is a time when you don't have any,
you can just wish for something again when you want to.

Now then,

what is your dream??

There was a timely project this time, so
I decided to jump on board ↓

Yoshihiro-san,
congratulations on reaching 1,000 followers ㊗️

I will continue to enjoy reading your work,
(as I am sure you will continue to be)
more and more successful 🌸