Now in Japan it is the season of “Seijinshiki”. That is a ceremony of having reached adulthood at 20 years old, which means that one is considered mature. Each region has ceremonies for 20 year-olds. Many dress in Kimonos for those ceremonies and especially girls wear beautiful “Furisode”. That is a colourful Kimono for unmarried young women with long sleeves. I think it is nice that in Japan this ceremony exists and it is like with that young people can be conscious of being mature and go out into the world. But I did not attend that ceremony because I myself did not feel mature at that time. Because I am “Noron”. This was my nickname in primary school. “Noron” means slow in Japanese. Yes, I was slow. Very slow. But I can defend myself because everyone in my family was much older than me. Especially my grandmother, the person who mostly took care of me. She was still quite fit at that time but her movements were slow and she could not hear very well. When I went shopping with her, I had to adapt to her speed and walked very slowly. Also because she could not hear well I had to speak slowly and loudly. My parents also were much older than many other childrens’ parents, because I was born quite late in their lives. My father was a rather introverted person, who often immersed himself in philosophy by himself. He did not like speed very much. When I spoke fast or made fast gestures, he scolded me. He wanted me to become a tender, diligent, empathic person, who had the capacitiy of thinking about others. If I had had a sibling, I might have been able to train some speed, but I am an only child. Therefore I have the honour of carrying the nickname “Noron”. However I believe that even “Noron” has a good side to it. The lesser beneficial side of it I should improve upon. But I want to live a long and healthy life at my very own pace…
日本は「成人式」の頃ですね。成人するという責任感を自覚し、爽やかに新たな出発をする… 「成人式」は素晴らしい式典だと思います。しかし、私は「成人式」に出席しませんでした。私は自分はまだ成人していない、と思ったのです。なぜなら私は「のろん」だから。
「のろん」は私が小学生の頃のあだ名です。そう、私は話すのも行動するのものろいのです。これには言い訳できる点があります。私の世話をしてくれていたのは祖母でした。当時、祖母はまだまだ元気でしゃんとしていましたが、足が弱っていました。一緒に買い物に行く時など、祖母はゆっくり歩くので、それに私も合わせていたのです。また、祖母は老化で少し耳が遠かったです。だから私はいつも、大きめの声で、ゆっくり、はっきり話していました。また、私の両親も、他の同年代の子供達のおやごさん方と比べて、年が上でした。父は、内省的な面があり、家の中で、本を読んだり、まるで哲学者であるかのように思想をめぐらせていました。その思想の時を破るような速い動きや話し方、きつい言葉遣い、わがままなどは、非常に厳しく禁じられていました。父は私を「優しく穏やかで礼儀正しい、他人を思いやれる人間」に育てたかったようです。もし兄弟がいれば、「速さ」の訓練なども自然とできたかもしれません。しかし私は一人っ子なのです。
という訳で、「のろん」と呼ばれる栄誉に輝いてしまいました。しかし私は「のろん」にもいい面があると思いたいです。もちろん、好ましくない面は改善してゆかねばなりませんが、私は自分の速度で、長く、健康に生きてゆきたいと思っています。
Picture by Yuka Simeno, Poysdorf 2011
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