毎年、この時期になると、卒業を控えた大学生達とこのスピーチを聞いています。毎回、感動します。

“Commencement”は、アメリカの大学で行われる卒業式を意味する言葉ですが、本来は、”始まり”を意味します。　卒業が、終わりではなく、新しい人生の”始まり”と捉えてる所に意義を感じます。

https://youtu.be/o97upTCsRME

先日、大学生のクラスで、コロナで失った貴重な機会について話し合いました。学校に行けなくなった事、クラブ活動ができなくなった事、語学留学出来なかった事… 辛い事ばかりだったが、普通の日々にすごく感謝できるようになったと、笑顔で話してくれました。で、先生は〜？、と、聞かれ… 記憶に残る悔しさ/悲しさは、ただ、ひとつ… 急に体調を崩した母を病院に連れていき、2度と会えないまま、２週間後に母が死んでしまった事…最期にもっと抱きしめておきたかった事かな… と、答えました。 母の最後の言葉は、”ありがとう！　もう、遅くなったから、早くかえりなさい。”でした….
早く、普通の日々に戻りますように…

We have discussed the hardship we experienced and are still going through with the spread of Covid-19 in a setting designed for college students. During the lockdown period, students had to give up so many things they truly enjoyed, such as simply going to school, meeting friends, attending extracurricular activities (athletic/cultural events), and studying abroad. After lockdown, some smiling, many considered it a good experience, making them thankful for the return to normal life. I feel confident that this difficult experience made them stronger. When asked what the most difficult time was for me, I answered with tears in my eyes, “I miss just one thing….. the precious moment never spent with my ailing mother after she was hospitalized,” She died 10 days after I took her to hospital without knowing that it would be the last time I saw her smile….her last words were “Thank you, Yuri.. It’s, getting late….you must be tired… you should go home.” I should have hugged her more tightly before I left the hospital…. Regretting……. What was the hardest thing for you?