I know Ms. Kaori Ohta since my son was 3 years old. My son went to the Japanese weekend school to maintain his Japanese language in New York. When I went for a school tour, Ms. Ohta (used be Ms. Naito) was present to explain about the school. My first impression, I still remember this, was “like a sunflower “. She was shining like a sunflower and so cheerful and honest. I decided to apply for this school right away as I thought if the teacher is like her, this school must be good for my son. It’s been over 20 years now. When I think back to then, she has done so much for my son. She dealt with my son as an individual and taught him so many things. This experience is a part of who my son is now. I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for her again for what she has done. Thank you Kaori!
“Story of Ms. Kaori Ohta”
People’s thoughts and attempts in Ikuko’s blog are very helpful. I am currently learning and I have not made consistent attempts yet, however, I would like to share how I face my emotions and try to feel each feeling.
By doing this what I discovered was that when I am driving I feel calm even when there was a traffic jam. When my 10 years old son hugs me, my heart feels warm and I am charging the energy of love. On the other hand, during a conversation with my husband whose ideas and values are different from mine, I feel like something is wrong and blood vessels in the back of my head started to murmur. What is this? This can’t be so?
Planning a trip for example, my husband plans minutely, he reserves the airplane, hotel, tour etc., it is very helpful. But if by any chance, things do not work out as he expected, he is in a bad mood. It seems that when he is planning, he is the happiest. I sometimes got annoyed he is not enjoying what is “now” in local places.
I am a more adventurous person and besides respecting the plan, I want to explore new discoveries when travelling to each place. However, when I look back although our ways of expression are different, he probably was enjoying himself. He also starts feeling down on Sunday afternoon. May be because he has responsibility at work? His tension increases. It is less now under Corona crises.
In my relationship with my son, for now, we can express our feelings honestly and we bounce emotions off of each other. Sometimes my son questions me with simple questions like “What is compulsory education?”. We talk of each other’s thoughts. Recently my son is at the beginning of a rebellious age, he sometimes tells me not to bother.
Even as a husband and wife, we are brought up in different environment, it is natural to have different personality and ideas and values. As for my son, it is interesting to see both of our similarities in him.
I assumed that the parenting needed much patience, however it was not so with my son. Sometimes I forced my ego and found out I become annoyed when things don’t go the way I like. I still get annoyed, but I try to receive and feel my emotions. I appreciate the learnings and awareness through practicing everyday with my family.
When I was single, although my life was centered around my work, I think I was able to face myself. But right now family comes first so I put off to look at my feelings, however I would like to face my emotions and feel them every day with room in my heart. I do not even know what’s lacking in me, but I hope I can become aware of these from my daily experiences.
Nowadays because of the Corona crisis, I get lost in various information including the spiritual world, messages from the universe etc. I am practicing to make a choice by intuition. When there is too much information, my heart shuts down and makes it difficult to be introspective of myself. When this happens, I put myself in nature, I look at the sky, where clouds flow, listen to the waves in ocean. When I adjust myself into a neutral state, my heart calms down and sometimes I can see what is necessary. I like to take photographs of the sky and the nature at these moments. I appreciate my family who can share leanings. I appreciate my parents and siblings. And I thank you very much to the Gach and Miyazaki family for caring for me even though they are not even blood related. Thank you very much for your big love.