YM COLUMN ARCHIVE
February 4, 2009
A mother of an astronaut
A few days ago I had an opportunity to do my talk at the 40th anniversary of establishment of Lions Club in Takasaki city. Accompanied with me was Ms. Chiaki Mukai’s mother. It is quite true of a Japanese saying, “Such a child from such a mother”. I was astonished to find her so high-spirited. She just didn’t appear the age of eighty-five.
Her daughter, Chiaki-san, speaks so fast that even I tempted in the same way when talking with her. Sometimes I’m aware of myself, “Huh? Why do I speak so fast?” which calls to my mind “Oh yes, I’m affected by the lady right in front of me.” Instead, her mother born in Taisho Era (1912~1926) talks with dignified composure and that, however, without stopping.
“Chiaki was so much fond of watching an airplane flying in her childhood. I often took her to Haneda Airport to let her see real planes.”
“Chiaki was a child never cried. But when her niece passed the exam to Keio high school, she was so much pleased with tears for her becoming a junior in the same school.”
“My young days were at war against America, so we were all sharpening the tip of bamboo spears. I thought ‘Could this work for fighting against Americans?’ Then someone said, ‘Americans’ eyes are blue, because eyes are cloudy. Cloudy eyes can’t see things clearly. So it would work all right if attack them while their visibility is cloudy.’ And so, we were all at hard work sharpening bamboo spears.”
“We suffered so much from air-raids during the war and also from postwar mess, so I hated Americans. I was really astonished to know Chiaki and her brother going to America and talking with Americans in peace. And now me, myself, so much enjoy going to America. You never know the world would turn which way. It’s worth to live long.”
I thank you very much for your valuable talk of experience, mother.
I welcome your opinions on this column to the following E-mail address.
matogawa@planetary.or.jp
(Translated by The Planetary Society of Japan)
Copyright (c) 2000 The Planetary Society of Japan. All rights reserved
|
