A New Cycle from the Past “Okay, sure! But I haven’t been active at all lately. I’m not sure I’ll be much help.” “No worries, no worries! If you’re coming, it’ll be a huge boost for us. Everyone will be thrilled!” The cheerful voice on the speakerphone belonged to the captain of my high school baseball team. Apparently, their weekend casual baseball game was short on players, and they’d asked me to fill in. “Got it. I’ve got plans in the afternoon, but as long as it wraps up in the morning, I’m fine. I’ll be at the field by […]
Listening to the Voice of Childhood I was momentarily transfixed by the message from Okane-san displayed on my smartphone screen. “The answer might lie with your inner child.” Inner child? It was the first time I’d heard the term. I didn’t fully grasp its meaning, but something about it resonated with me. Before I knew it, I was typing a reply. “What is the inner child? I’ve never heard of it.” “The inner child is the ‘you’ from your childhood that lives in your heart,” Okane-san explained. “It’s the emotions of joy and sadness you once felt, emotions that weren’t […]
Memories in a Gift The department store was livelier than usual on a weekend. Families with children, couples, and fashionably dressed students carrying shopping bags filled the floor. The vibrant energy was palpable, and it gave an unexplainable bounce to my step. Having successfully purchased a Mother’s Day gift, she seemed relieved and immediately began browsing for her own interests. It was typical of her to get absorbed in shopping, and I braced myself for a potentially dull stretch of time. But today, I decided to take preemptive action. “I’m hungry. Let’s grab lunch somewhere.” Her eyes lit up at […]
The Stirring of a Dream The blazing sunlight poured down as the scent of dust lingered in the air. In front of me, all the bases were loaded, the situation tense. Amid the swirl of pressure and expectation, I stepped up to the plate, my heart pounding as the cheers around me echoed. That’s when it happened. A voice from behind made me turn. My teammates on the bench were shouting something, but I couldn’t make out the words. The umpire called impatiently, “Step into the batter’s box!” In that moment, I realized—I didn’t have my bat. Panicking, I started […]