Let's Go to the Market! — Because You Buy in Person, There Are Things You Can Bring Home —

A weekday morning.

On a whim, I headed to the local market on my bicycle before starting work.

Six o'clock in the morning.

The market was already in motion.

The greengrocer had Japanese mustard spinach covered in morning dew.

Bright red tomatoes.

Green onions with mud still on them.

At the fishmonger, fish caught that very morning were lined up on ice, and lively voices were flying back and forth.

It's different from a supermarket.

The market had its own kind of morning.

I picked up the Japanese mustard spinach at the greengrocer.

"That just came in this morning."

The lady at the shop called out to me.

"The stems are tender, so I recommend boiling them."

It was just a short conversation, but it made the spinach look delicious.

In terms of price alone, it wasn't much different from a supermarket.

Even so, I felt like I wanted to buy it from this person.

After walking around the market, I headed to the market cafeteria.

Even though it was before seven in the morning, there was already a line in front of the shop.

People who work at the market.

A chef who has finished their shopping.

A regular customer from the neighborhood.

I stood at the end of the line.

If you only think about efficiency, there is no need to wait in line.

If you go to a convenience store, you can eat right away.

There is also home delivery.

There are also meal kits available online.

As for groceries, online supermarkets will deliver them to your door.

In this day and age, you can live for a day without any inconvenience, even without talking to anyone.

Even so, I came here.

My turn finally came, and I received my seafood bowl.

The fresh fish was as delicious as I had expected.

But it wasn't my stomach that felt most satisfied.

Walking through the market,

exchanging a word or two with the shop staff,

waiting in line,

and feeling the atmosphere of the people spending the same morning.

That time itself was what filled my heart.

I usually work from home.

Interacting with AI,

Staring at a screen,

I don't mind the time spent working alone.

I think we live in a convenient age.

But I feel that if I live only by that convenience, my world will shrink before I know it.

If I hadn't gone to the market,

"These are sweet today."

I wouldn't have heard those words.

If I hadn't lined up at the market cafeteria, I wouldn't have experienced that vibrancy.

It was a morning I couldn't have had just by clicking at home.

Move on your own.

Go there yourself.

Take just a little extra trouble.

Beyond that lies a richness that cannot be measured by efficiency.

Life must be the same way.

If you just wait, you won't encounter new scenery.

Only those who take a step forward can bring home unexpected encounters and discoveries.

What I bought at the market wasn't just komatsuna and tomatoes.

I'll do my best again starting tomorrow.

I brought that feeling home with me, too.

Today's takeaway

There are things you can only gain by moving yourself.

#LifeReignited
#60s
#Market
#MorningMarket
#WorkingFromHome
#ShoppingStreet
#MarketDiner
#SeafoodBowl
#HumanConnection
#SmallExplorationSeries

[Another challenge started in my 60s]
As part of reigniting my life, I am also working on writing novels.
I am currently publishing fairy tales on TALES.
It is a slightly different world from note, but this is also an important creative activity for me.
If you are interested, please take a look.

▼ TALES Work Page
(Link)