Feeling the Change — A Return Home After Six and a Half Years
In late May, I returned to Japan with my family for the first time in six and a half years.
Back then, I was still single, working full-time as an employee. COVID hadn’t happened yet, and I was so busy every day that I barely had time to reflect on my life or think deeply about the direction I was heading.
Since then, my life has changed dramatically. I got married, became a mother, and started my own business under my own name.
I went from a life where I simply carried out tasks assigned to me, to one where I now choose, think through, and take responsibility for my own path.
This trip home made me realize just how much my life stage has shifted over the years.
Visiting the Schools That Still Appear in My Dreams
During this trip back to Japan, my father drove our family around to visit all the schools I once attended—my preschool, elementary school, junior high, and high school.
Each of those places looked so different from how I remembered them. Walking through them felt almost like stepping into a dream.
In fact, I still occasionally dream about these schools even now.
Seeing the gap between the “schools in my memory” and the present-day reality left me feeling strangely moved.
And yet, standing there, I couldn’t help but think—this is really how far I’ve come from that time and place. My heart was full.
A Special Place in My Heart: My High School
Among all the schools I visited, my high school held a particularly special place in my heart.
Located in my hometown in Aichi Prefecture, the school had a culture where aiming for prestigious local universities and well-known companies was considered the “right” path.
Rather than encouraging free thinking or diverse values, it felt like students were expected to follow a fixed track, with their actions closely monitored and managed.
The Desire to Study in the U.S.—And How Frustration Became My Fuel
When I was in high school, I once told a teacher that I wanted to study in the United States.
The response I received was dismissive: “You’re probably saying that because your college entrance exams aren’t going well, right?”
It felt as though my hopes and intentions had been completely invalidated. That sense of frustration—I still remember it clearly.
But looking back now, I think that very frustration may have been what fueled me.
It was that strong feeling of wanting to leave this place and move forward on my own terms that led me to study abroad in college, and eventually build a life for myself in the U.S.
Had my high school life been fulfilling and full of freedom, I might never have even thought about going to the U.S.
A Photo Filled with Meaning — A Moment to Reflect on My Roots
In life, both the positive and negative emotions that move our hearts deeply seem to hold meaning.
During our trip, my family and I took commemorative photos in front of each of the schools I attended.
What surprised me most was that the one photo I felt most compelled to frame was the one taken in front of my high school.
Perhaps it was my way of saying to my younger self, “A lot has happened, but I made it out—and here I am now, living my life in the U.S.”
Supporting Those Who Choose Their Own Path
This time, I’ve taken a short break from writing about taxes to reflect on my own roots.
Studying abroad, moving to the U.S., starting a business, and raising a child—each of these began with a conscious decision to choose my own path.
The work I do now, through tax support and Smart Money Coaching, is ultimately about supporting people who are doing the same—choosing to live life on their own terms.
If this story helps you reconnect with your own roots or memories, even just a little, I’d be truly happy.
Thank you so much for reading until the end. 🌿
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