It’s autumn now. Autumn always brings back nostalgic feelings. I never get tired of eating persimmons. How about you, grandfather? Is it spring where you are? Or summer? Autumn? Winter? What are you doing while reading this letter?
Time flies so fast; my two years at the Japanese language school are already down to the last half year. When I first came to Japan, I was full of anxiety, but now I’ve gotten used to life in Japan. I can express my thoughts in Japanese and communicate with Japanese people.
I’m interested in Japanese beverages. I like drinking tea. When I was a child, sometimes I would drink tea and talk with you, grandfather. You used to say, “Gan-chan, life is actually like tea. When you make tea, the leaves swirl around in the water. But after a while, the leaves settle at the bottom of the cup, and you get delicious tea. In life, as time goes by, you gradually start to understand things bit by bit.” Of course, I didn’t understand what you meant at the time, but as I thought about it quietly and deeply, I began to grasp a little of it.
When unpleasant things happen in life, or things don’t go as planned, the more I think and worry, the greater my stress becomes, and my confidence wanes, leading to depression. During such times, I remember your words and they lift my spirits. Failure isn’t something to be afraid of, and even if I fail, those experiences will be useful in the future.
This is what I have gained since coming to Japan. How about you, grandfather? What have you experienced, and what have you gained?
Thank you for reading until the end.
From your grandson, Gan.