I want to try calling my son John
This is sudden, but I belong to an adult writing circle called the After-School Writing Club.
There are prompts we receive there. The articles I've been writing once a week lately are written by barely touching upon the themes provided.
The theme this time is "reading," so here is a book I read recently.
↓↓
Kindness is chaining together.
Things shared by people I've met. Wanting to be useful to someone. Things that some might see as constraints, but which showed me the way.
I, too, decided that I wanted to pass something on to my child.
That's it, I'll try calling my son John.
I will convey something English-like. If I do that, his world will surely expand. By extension, he will be able to see Japan with new eyes as well. This is good.
However, I tried calling him that, but it didn't feel right. My son doesn't even think it refers to him, so there is no reaction. I feel lonely.
It doesn't have to be John, so I try to think of a few Western-sounding names. But Paul, Alex, George, Bob, and Marley don't feel right either. What on earth could be the cause?
I mutter whatever comes to mind while gazing at my son's face.
Michael, William, Henry...
My son senses something unsettling.
Oliver, Jacob, Leo...
I continue to gaze at his face.
Christopher, Jonathan, Matthew...
Is it the face after all...? To put it in Thermae Romae terms, perhaps names like James or Dean don't suit us, the flat-faced tribe.
Then, Asia. India is likely the next big thing.
I start looking up Indian names.
Aryan, Krishna, Neel...
No, that won't work.
I feel like Indian-sounding names also don't suit us, the thin-faced tribe, to put it in Thermae Romae terms.
What kind of name would actually suit this child...?
Lost in thought, the aroma of coffee drifting, the gaze of my family.
The weekend night grows late...
Postscript
To all the Johns with Asian faces around the world, I apologize that it doesn't feel right due to my domestic sensibilities 🙇♂️
I will train Taro so that he looks like a John 🏋️