A Book That Gives You "Sparkling Hints" — Seiko Tanabe's "What the Years Give You"
Hello. This is Iori Sakurakoji.
Recently, I encountered a book that has become a precious talisman for me.
It is Seiko Tanabe's "What the Years Give You: Being Cheerful Every Day".
This essay was originally serialized in the monthly magazine "MISS".
It was aimed at a generation of women slightly older than me, but that is precisely why it is filled with "hints for becoming a wonderful adult," making it a book I am glad to have encountered now.
The "as-told-to" format creates a sense of distance and familiarity, as if you are truly listening to her speak, which is one of its charms.
Since it is a slim volume of less than 200 pages, I want to keep it tucked in my bag at all times as a talisman.
(By the way, I thought, "It's easy to carry, so I'll read this book while having a snack at McDonald's!" and ended up devouring it in one sitting at McDonald's.)
The essay that left the deepest impression on me is "Bottling Up Tears."
It begins with Seiko Tanabe's childhood memories and touches on writing novels and ways of living. It is written lightly, as if gently admonishing the reader.
I especially love this part.
If you always keep an eye out for stories that make people happy, you will remember them when you write. Writers have a habit of constantly gathering such things in their daily lives. That is something you all do, too, isn't it? As long as you are alive, surely. A novel might be like bottling those things up and offering them to someone, saying, "Here you go."
It might be presumptuous for a fledgling like me to say such things.
But I hope that the novels I write can also be sparkling things, filled with wonderful moments bottled up just like this.
Even if the story is heavy, I want to make sure I never forget the feeling of "wanting the reader to be happy."
And, if I am lucky, I hope that by reading my writing, people might become able to suddenly notice the wonderful little things in their daily lives.
Also, reading this book, I felt that Seiko Tanabe herself was someone who never gave up on "writing" through various stages of her life.
That is why, every time I open this book, I feel it reminds me of my original intentions regarding "writing."
There are many other words that make your heart feel lighter and serve as nourishment for the soul.
It is truly a bottle filled with wonderful words, words that can make you feel cheerful.
Let's do the fun things first. You have to make yourself happy that way. Let's gather lots and lots of good things, wonderful things that make you smile when you remember them, and become wonderful people who smell sweet.
When I am lost and wondering "which way to go," if I can remember these words, I feel I will be able to stay more like myself and be wonderful.
Someone who makes you look their way just by being there.
Someone who makes you feel relieved and at ease when you talk to them.
Someone who, mysteriously, seems to sparkle.
I want to keep the words written in this book close to my heart so that I can become that kind of person.
To that end, I first want to fill a jar in my heart with the "good things," "wonderful things," and "sparkling things" that surround me.
And I want to cherish the time I spend holding it up to the light every now and then, letting out a little chuckle.
"What the Years Give Us: Being Cheerful Every Day" gives us hints on how to "be cheerful every day" and how to sparkle.
It has become an important book to me, and I wanted to share that feeling with you, so I put this article together.
Please do pick up a copy.
The header image I borrowed this time is a photo of a pink rose. Its flower language includes "grace," "admiration," and "elegance." I chose it because the way it blooms, turning even the dewdrops on its petals into something that shines, is wonderful.
いいなと思ったら応援しよう！
最後までお読みいただき、ありがとうございました。
私の記事が、読み手の方の心にひとひらでも残っていたら、とても嬉しいです。
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