For over five years, the task of washing dishes after dinner has been my quiet contribution to our daily life. Last night unfolded like this. As I was washing the dishes, my wife was alongside me, drying and storing away the cleaned items.…

Recently, my wife, who often takes evening walks, observed two distinct characteristics about the Indian children playing in our local park between 5 and 7 pm: All of them are engaged in activities like soccer, cricket, jump rope, or using…

"Honey, isn't there something odd about this scale?" Having replaced our 15-year-old scale because it broke, my wife, after weighing herself several times, posed this question. "Hmm, not sure. I did notice my body fat percentage was a bit …

Yesterday evening, while on a walk, I came across a little girl, about three years old, crying as she walked alone. Not seeing anyone nearby, I approached her gently and inquired, "What's wrong? Have you lost your mother?" To my surprise, …

I've been taking online English lessons from a teacher, let's call him Mr. B, who is an outstanding instructor at school K. Ordinarily, he teaches Political Economy at a local high school in English, and his proficiency is close to that of…

When I went to the living room at lunchtime, I found that my wife had closed the windows. "I'm turning on the air conditioning," she said."Oh, really? Is it that hot?" I wondered. "It's hot. I've had the air conditioning on since morning,"…

Yesterday was my son's bonus payday. Shortly after starting his job, he excitedly exclaimed, "I got it!" In response, I enthusiastically said, "Great job!" His bashful giggle was the perfect reaction. By evening, he was not at home, so I a…

"Well, well! I thought I spotted a beautiful woman, but it's my wife!" I said this to my partner, who was doing the dishes in the kitchen as I went to make coffee. She responded, "I'm pleased, even if it's flattery," with a not entirely di…

While on a walk just moments ago, I was passed by a mother and child riding a bicycle. The mother, a sturdy woman evoking images of a sumo wrestler, had her young son, who appeared to be of kindergarten age, sitting brightly behind her. "S…

Yesterday evening, as I was meandering down my usual walking path, I noticed a couple proceeding ahead of me, strolling side by side. Their back figures made it impossible to discern their exact ages, yet I ventured a guess - they might no…

This morning, I visited the general hospital nearby, armed with a referral from my usual doctor. Upon arrival, I was called in by a doctor I hadn't met before. My first impression of him was one thing above all: Youthful. He strikingly res…

「ねえ、お父さん、東京オリンピックの理念の1つって『多様性と調和』だったっけ？」「そうだったかなー」「でもさ、そもそもオリンピックって、あとパラリンピックも、金メダルを目指して参加者が競争するんだよね」「そうだなー」「つまり、1つの基準に沿…

The other day, while having drinks with an executive from a major corporation, the conversation turned to politics. Knowing he was someone who could speak freely, I casually asked him, "Don't you think there's something off about the Abe a…

My wife shares: 1. Every night before sleep, she reflects, "What good happened today?" aiming to identify three things. If something clearly joyful occurred, she cherishes it. If nothing obvious comes to mind, she reinterprets any event as…

Yesterday at 7 a.m., during my usual walk, I saw elderly Chinese doing Tai Chi in Wakakusa Park, as my son, who jogs there thrice a week, had mentioned. By 5 p.m., the park becomes a meeting spot for the Indian community, full of cricket g…

This is a story from around 40 years ago. On the final day of the Kyoto-Nara school trip for Saitama Prefectural U High School, the chosen ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) felt like a grand banquet hall. The first and second days were rel…

Nestled on the fourth floor of a charmingly lift-less five-story building, my abode is part of an eclectic homeowners' association featuring everything from humble medium-rises to towering skyscrapers. In a valiant effort to fend off a sed…