On the way back from seeing the ocean, what I heard was...

I want to go to the ocean.
That is something
every day
I think about.

If I go to the next town over,
I can see the ocean.
It takes less than 20 minutes by car.

But,
getting there
feels like
an incredibly
long way for me.

Until my own feelings
decided, 'Let's go!'
I decided to
just keep waiting.

I was waiting,
for a long time.

One Sunday,
finally, 'Let's go!'
I'm already
able to go! It's okay! I tell myself.

I had someone
drive me there.

Passing through the mountains,
going through the tunnels,
and descending the mountains...

I made a
little detour
to buy some octopus tempura.

Inside the car,
it immediately smelled so good.
Even though I had already
eaten a full lunch,
my stomach was about to growl.

Once I bought the octopus tempura,
the ocean
was already right there.

For years
and years,
I had been dreaming of it.
The ocean was
approaching right before my eyes.

'Wow, the ocean!
The ocean!'

Inside the car,
I kept repeating it like a young child.
Without any response,
I was left to my own devices. Haha.

To gaze at the ocean,
I have a favorite spot.

It is
right off the road,
at a small shrine
on a hill.
I love the ocean
viewed from there.

Naturally, my breathing
became deeper.
The birds were
chirping so pleasantly,
and then,
the wind, which still
felt a little cold, brushed against my cheeks.

Spreading out
before my eyes, the beautiful sea

My life is
surrounded by mountains,
so
the wide-open,
stretching
sea that goes on forever,
that kind of
scenery moved me,
and my daily
worries
seemed to be carried away by the wind and unravel.

"It feels so good."

Our two voices
linked together.

While gazing at the sea,
I wanted to dip my feet in,
but I decided to leave that
as something to look forward to
for next time.

Looking at the sea,
feeling the wind,
feeling the scent,
feeling the light...

I was also able to
express my gratitude at the shrine.

Feeling very
refreshed and comfortable,
I head home.

The trip back in the car
was very easy,

and then,
"You don't have to worry anymore.
Both Dad and Mom
are at peace now..."
from somewhere,
a voice could be heard.

It was six years ago, when my father passed away suddenly,
that I truly became unable to go out.
My mother also passed away, and this year marks two years since then.

Due to my own
physical and mental health issues,
when things were
really difficult, I could do
almost nothing for my father or mother,
and I couldn't even attend their funerals.

So,
perhaps,
even though my parents are no longer here,
I
might not have been able to
accept that fact.

I might have
continued to worry about my father and mother all this time.

And,
unconsciously,
I might have been blaming myself all along.

But,
by gazing at the sea
and visiting the shrine,
the painful
and lonely feelings
that I had locked away in my heart
might have been released.

If that's the case...
No,
I believe that is the case.

From now on,
I can go out more easily and happily,
and I know that
I can come to gaze at the sea
whenever I want.

I'm looking forward to it from now on.
Thank you. I'll come again.

Moon Drops
Mari