I have a son who is 14 years old this year.
In our family, we often split into two groups.
My wife and daughter go one way, and my son and I go another.
The reason is simple: our tastes are completely different.
My wife and daughter enjoy Italian food, stylish cafés, and concerts by male pop idols.
On their days off, the two of them often go out together.
My son and I, on the other hand, prefer ramen, yakiniku, tonkatsu—hearty, filling food.
We are also both fans of the Chiba Lotte Marines, and we sometimes go to NPB games together.
Different Interests in the Family
When I was single and dating my wife, she sometimes went to baseball games with me.
But she was never truly interested.
After we got married, I can only remember a few times when we watched games together.
That difference has only become clearer over the years.
What I Hoped to Share
When I was younger, I used to play the guitar.
I listened to a lot of hard rock from the 1980s and 1990s, and I still do.
Bands like Guns N’ Roses, Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe, Metallica, and Bon Jovi.
Whenever they came to Tokyo on world tours, I made sure to attend their concerts.
Because of that, when my son was born, I hoped he would play the guitar too.
When he was in kindergarten, I even bought him a small short-scale guitar.
But it didn’t seem to interest him at all.
Finding His Own Passion
Everything changed when he was in elementary school and we went to an NPB game together.
He fell in love with baseball almost immediately.
I bought him a player directory, and he read it constantly.
I think he memorized the names of almost every player in the league.
Around that time, he joined a local baseball team.
Because he joined later than most of his teammates, he didn’t get many chances to play in games.
Still, he seemed happy just wearing the uniform and being part of the team.
Choosing His Own Path
In Japan, most junior high school students join a school club and practice after classes.
That is the norm.
However, his junior high school did not have a baseball team.
So he chose not to join a school club and instead joined a local baseball club team.
As a result, he has more free time on weekday afternoons,
but his weekends are almost entirely filled with practice.
A Little Distance, A Little Loneliness
Because of that, I spend less time with him now.
I also find myself going out alone more often.
Financially, going out alone costs less than going out with two people,
so that part isn’t bad.
But emotionally, there are moments when it feels a little lonely.
From time to time, his team has games.
When he plays well and I can take photos of him in action, that may be my greatest joy these days.
What I Hope as a Father
He won’t be a child forever.
I want him to pursue what he loves without depending too much on me.
And I want to be the kind of father who supports him from behind.
That said, if his academic performance at school improved just a little,
he would be perfect.
コメント