Respect For The Aged Day

 Today is a national holiday, Respect For The Aged Day, Kerio No Hi（敬老の日). This is more than just another holiday; it's a day to reflect on the importance of ageing, family, and gratitude.

This holiday started in a small town in Hyogo Prefecture in 1947. The town declared September 15th as Old Folks Day. This idea quickly became popular, and in 1966 it was made an official national holiday. In 2003, the holiday was shifted to the third Monday in September as part of the "Happy Monday" system, which aims to give workers more 3-day holidays!

Japan has one of the longest life spans. Life expectancy for men is 81 years, and for women, 87 years old! As of September 1st, 100,000 people were 100 or more years old!  That is rather amazing!

Part of this day is to pause and honor what the elderly have done for the younger generations. I love listening to older people talk about their lives, and trying to imagine what it would have been like in Japan after the war, during the recovery time! One of my students told me about her neighbor, a lady in her 90s. This old lady had married during the war, and after a couple of weeks of married life, her husband was called up. They spent the next few years writing to each other. Just before the end of the war, he was killed in action. This lady never remarried; the letters from her husband comforted her throughout her life!  I was so moved by this story.

The community center where we teach is having a special celebration today for the elderly in the local area. They will have some kind of games and give out prizes. The elderly gentleman who runs the community center was an army helicopter pilot. He is in his 70s but still full of energy! He was talking about how he and the other volunteers were organizing this event, talking about the old people. I was listening to him and thinking, "But you are old!".  I know I don't think of myself as old, so maybe he is the same!

If we are lucky enough to grow old, I hope we can do it with some grace and gratitude for our lives. Everyone has their own path, their own struggles, but at the end of the day, if we can say, we have loved and been loved, I think it's enough. I know I moan a lot on here, but I am trying to change my headspace and see the good things in my life. I know I have experienced love, the love from my parents and brothers, the love of my husband and children, and the love of good friends. 

I'm also trying to slow down and appreciate the beauty of the nature that surrounds me here (I still don't like the bugs though!). The other day we had a small rainbow!

a light rainbow

It wasn't there very long, but it made me smile!