Reading Log | On reading "Itoshiki Mono: Mori, Yamagoya, Kurashi no Dogu" (Beloved Things: Forest, Mountain Cabin, and Daily Tools).

The other day, I finished reading "Itoshiki Mono: Mori, Yamagoya, Kurashi no Dogu" by Ito Ogawa!

It was a book I picked up on a whim, drawn by the title.
But as I read on, it turned out to be a book that let me feel a gentle time, as if I could take a deep breath.

My father had surgery this past April, and as I spent more time at the hospital, I would turn the pages little by little during waiting times and breaks to calm my mind.
Reading it made me feel relaxed and at ease, and for someone like me, whose heart feels a bit frantic lately, it was a book that offered just the right amount of comfort.

In this book, stories about life in the forest, time spent in a mountain cabin, and the "things" cherished in daily life are woven together in a leisurely style.
None of it is about anything particularly special, yet each description is so careful that as I read, my ordinary daily life began to feel somewhat precious.

Until now, I have often spent my time prioritizing efficiency and things I need to do, and I haven't really paid attention to the time in my daily life that I should cherish.
The time from waking up in the morning until I leave is always hectic, and before I know it, I'm only thinking about "what to do next"...

I think there were many times when breakfast became just "something to eat for now" rather than something to truly savor, and I would finish eating without even realizing it.
In the midst of such days, reading this book felt like a reminder of the importance of "properly savoring things" and "living with care".

One day, when I woke up just like any other morning, I suddenly remembered this book.
I decided to change my routine just a little, instead of spending the time mindlessly looking at my smartphone, and chose to make some cocoa slowly in the morning.

Pouring soy milk into a cup, adding cocoa, heating it up, and idly watching the steam rise...
It was just that, but I felt like time was flowing a little more slowly than usual.

On another day, I washed my favorite mug more carefully than usual.
Things I previously thought were "fine as long as they work" felt surprisingly comfortable in shape and texture when I actually held them properly, and I was a little happy to realize that I had been unconsciously choosing my favorite things all along.

Recently, I've had more opportunities to face myself, such as regarding my health and how I work, and I've come to think that I want to value making choices that make me feel secure without pushing myself too hard.
For the person I am now, the gentle flow of time in this book felt very comforting.

I used to feel that the phrase "living with care" was something distant, but perhaps what is truly important is not doing anything special, but just paying a little more attention to the things and time right in front of me.
I've come to think that way.

It's not that anything changed drastically right after reading it, but I feel like my perspective on daily life has changed just a little.

For example, instead of mindlessly turning on the TV after getting home, I try to make a little quiet time to write in my planner.
When choosing something at a convenience store, I pause for just a moment to think, "What do I really want to eat right now?"
I feel like those small changes are accumulating to save me in my daily life.

True to the title "Beloved Things," it was a book that made me want to cherish and properly value the things and time around me.
Even if I can't change everything at once, I want to continue to treasure the fact that my heart was moved, even if just a little.