License Renewal, A Tearful Seminar.

The other day,
we celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary.

There was no fancy dinner.
There was no luxury hotel.

What there was—
was a '40-minute special seminar' by my wife.

Across the table.
No escape.
Smartphone confiscated.

I sit down quietly.

'Alright, the renewal seminar begins.'

The instructor is the strictest person in the world,
and the person who knows me best in the world.

This time, I will be honest.

I had a few lapses in judgment.
No, maybe it was more than a few.

A small moment of carelessness.
A small moment of complacency.
A small 'it'll be fine.'

When those pile up,
it turns into a red light.

In the middle of the seminar,
my wife's voice trembled slightly.

Deep inside my chest,
it also grew slowly warm.

Ah,
this is not just a renewal.

This is
a 'mental aptitude test'.

Life is a licensing system.

The moment you are born into this world,
a pure white license is issued.

Colorless and transparent.

From there,

Entering kindergarten.
Graduating kindergarten.
Entering school.
Graduating school.

Every time a small stamp is pressed,
the color begins to tint ever so slightly.

A pale blue.
A soft pink.
A fresh green.
Sometimes, the color of milk tea.

For each person,
the way it stains is different.

There are colors of failure,
and there are colors of challenge.

There are colors of jealousy,
and there are colors of gratitude.

Life is,
to "bleed" colors.

Love begins with cherry blossom tea.

If we compare it to romance—

When you first start dating,
it is a pale cherry blossom tea.

Faintly sweet,
and not yet too hot.

Every month,
you repeat a small renewal.

Fighting,
apologizing,
and laughing again.

Each time, the color changes.

And then, one day.

Crimson-dyed tea is served.

That is—
marriageable age.

What happens if you miss the timing?

Oxidation progresses.
It turns a bit brown.

“Well, eventually…”
muddies the color.

Therefore, make your decision
while it is still hot.

Marriage is about nurturing the crimson color.

Even if you manage to get married,
that is not the finish line.

Will you make the crimson
deeper?

Or will you make it paler?

Sometimes,
tea leaves dyed blue get mixed in.

Anger.
Misunderstandings.
Silence.

But that, too, is a blend.

Because you brew it together,
it becomes a flavor.

Your wedding anniversary every year.

That is—
your license renewal date.

“How have things been lately?”
“Have you been lonely?”
“Have you been pushing yourself too hard?”

Checking in with each other.

When I successfully renewed it,
the dull colors

suddenly
returned to a vivid 'crimson'.

Ah,
now I can drive for another year.

And then, to the color of green juice.

10 years.
20 years.
30 years.

Time passes,
and the tea leaves deepen in flavor.

By the time they are dyed in the color of
nutrient-rich green juice.

The children have left the nest,
and the house has become a little quiet.

"Do you remember?"
"Back then..."

Old stories bloom.

In the conversation between the old couple,
a pale cherry blossom color bleeds through once again.

Life is
a cycle of colors.

The cherry blossoms of youth.
The crimson of passion.
The deep green of maturity.

And then, cherry blossoms again.

The 23rd renewal.

The seminar is over.

My wife said this at the end.

“Take care of me for another year, okay?”
“If your penalty points pile up, you’ll have to do a practical test, you know, haha.”

I nod deeply.

Renewal complete.

Expiration date—
until today next year.

To all the married couples out there.

Is your license renewal
going well?

Are your points not decreasing?

Are you not overlooking any violations?

Life is a licensing system.

It starts from pure white,
layers colors,
blurs them,
mixes them together,

and eventually becomes one
beautiful gradient.

With that color,
we decorate this era.

Today, too,
with my crimson license in my heart,

for another year,
I start running.

#LifeIsALicensingSystem
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#TheSongCalledLife
#CrimsonGradient
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#WordsIWantToTurnIntoLyrics
#DramaticLife
#WantToConnectWithLyricists
#ReachTheComposers
#StoriesThatBecomeMusic
#WordsBecomeMelodies
#ArtistMindset
#PlayingAStory

#LifeConceptAlbum
#TheFeatureLengthBalladCalledAMarriedCouple
#RenewalSystemLoveStory
#LoveSongWrittenInColor
#CrimsonChorus
#VerseAIsCherryBlossomTea
#VerseBIsPassingByEachOther
#ChorusIsCrimson
#InterludeIsSilence
#LoveThatDoesNotFadeOut

Verse A: Cherry Blossom Tea
Verse B: Oxidation
Chorus: Crimson
Verse C: Green Juice
Last: Return to Cherry Blossom Color