Birthdays change as children grow.
子どもの誕生日は、
いくつになっても、
少し特別な日。
There was a time when I chose the presents,
planned the day,
and knew exactly what would make his eyes light up.
昨日は、
息子の誕生日だった。
誕生日プレゼントを買いに、
二人で新宿へ出かけた。
Somewhere along the way,
he grew into a boy with a world of his own.
ここ何年か、
一緒に行こうと誘っても、
あまり乗り気ではなかった。
買い物にも興味がないし、
ママと二人で出かけるのも、
なんとなく恥ずかしい。
So when I asked if he wanted to come with me to Shinjuku
to choose his birthday present,
I was already prepared for a no.
そんな年頃なんだろうなと、
私も思っていた。
だから今年も、
きっと行かないだろうと思いながら
声をかけた。
Instead, he said,
“Maybe I will.”
That was all.
すると、
「行こっかな。」
But mothers have a funny way
of keeping the smallest words.
思いがけない返事が
なんだかうれしかった。
We walked through the city together,
looking here and there,
until a birthday present found its way into a bag.
Nothing remarkable happened.
And maybe that was what made it lovely.
二人で新宿を歩いて、
あれこれ見ながら、
誕生日プレゼントを選んだ。
Later, I asked what he wanted for his birthday dinner.
そして、
誕生日会には
何が食べたい？と聞いた。
A restaurant?
Something special from his favorite place?
外に食べに行ってもいいし、
好きなものを買ってきてもいい。
“Your cooking.”
でも返ってきたのは、
「ママのご飯がいい。」
Another little sentence
I quietly tucked away.
考えるのが
面倒だっただけかもしれない。
それでも、
ママには
うれしい言葉だった。
Then there was the way he looked at the gift bag.
プレゼントの袋を見ながら、
「楽しみ」と言った
その顔も、
For all the growing up he has done,
there was still that familiar light in his face—
the simple happiness of waiting
for something wonderful.
まだちゃんと
子どもの頃のままで。
I looked at him and thought about time.
How quietly it moves.
大きくなったなあと
思うことが増えたけれど、
How a child can be beside you every day,
and still somehow become taller,
older,
more himself.
Perhaps that is why birthdays feel different to a mother.
こんな顔を見ると、
やっぱりうれしい。
We celebrate the person our child is becoming,
while carrying every version of them
somewhere inside us.
Yesterday, there were no grand moments.
Just a walk together.
A few ordinary words.
A certain look on his face.
またひとつ、
大きくなったね。
Little things,
one after another.
And somehow,
my heart was full.
Happy birthday.
Keep becoming you.
I still can't quite believe
I get to be your mom.
ママのところに
生まれてきてくれて、
本当にありがとう。