"Reach for the stars," "follow your dreams," or "follow your heart." These are the phrases you often hear when you ask someone about what it takes to have a successful future. But be warned, this advice comes from people who either don't understand what success means or simply don't care about your question.
If you asked my dad for his opinion, he would say, "You can't guarantee a successful life by simply chasing your dreams. Your aspirations are constantly changing, evolving, and fading. The disappointment you feel when your current dream fails is the spark that will ultimately make you shine even brighter."
I have always been curious about my dad and his background, but I know very little about him. However, I recently got the chance to learn more about him.
During my first week of suspension, my dad surprised my mom and me with a proposal. "You two must be tired of staying inside all day. How about we take a break and go camping?"
I was tired, and the idea of fresh air was appealing, so I said yes, as did my mom. My dad didn't ask for our input on the camping destination, he simply chose Fumotoppara Camp Site, located 148 kilometers away from our home.
The journey was challenging for me, as I have motion sickness, but it was made easier by the luxurious car we took on my school tour. This time, however, we were traveling in my dad's old car, with him at the wheel.
Despite getting nauseous and vomiting several times during the trip, I was able to enjoy the beauty of our destination when we finally arrived at Fumotoppara Camp Site. The scenery was breathtaking, and I was in awe of Mount Fuji.
Setting up the tent was a struggle for us new campers, but we received help from our fellow campers. I spent several hours sitting and admiring the view while my parents worked on the rest of the setup. Afterwards, I indulged in a hot bath and felt all my negative thoughts disappear in the presence of nature's power.
We spent the rest of the day talking and laughing, and my mother cooked a delicious meal that evening. The beauty of this place seemed to cast a spell on us, making everything feel better.
One of the most enchanting aspects of this place is the morning sunrise. According to Google, the sun appears to rise over Mount Fuji and casts a spellbinding aura across the landscape.
I went to bed early, hoping to catch the sunrise, but struggled to fall asleep. Despite my efforts, I only managed to doze off at 3am and woke up at 5am to find my dad already awake, making tea for us both.
He invited me to sit with him and said, "Kousei, I heard you did some great things at school."
"It was just a coincidence," I replied.
"How old are you now?" he asked.
"I'm 17," I said, "and turning 18 soon."
"Ohhhhh... then It's about time we had a father-son talk," he said with a smirk.
"Ahh! But you always say the same thing, Haha," I said to my dad.
"To be honest, I'm shy," he replied. "That's why I always avoid talking about important things."
Are you kidding me!? I thought he was always thinking, "Son, you should not rely on other's opinions, make your OWN CHOICE" or something.
"Well, I guess that's where I got my shyness from," I reflected.
"By the way, why are you up at 5 am?" I asked him.
"To see the sunrise!" he replied, excitedly.
"Oh, you're into sunrises? Yeah, I saw it in Google that the sunrise here is so beautiful to see. Did you find it from Google as well?" I asked him, trying to keep up with the conversation.
"Google? No way! You probably don't know this, but this is the place where your mother and I first met," he said, with a smile on his face.
"Ah, now it all makes sense. That's why mom agreed so easily when you suggested coming here," I said, finally understanding.
"You were an American then, right? Did you know any Japanese when you met mom?" I asked.
"Yes, I was an American. We were here for a pre-season soccer match with a Japanese club. And no, I didn't know any Japanese. Oh? So you seem interested to hear the story about how I met your mother?" he replied.
I eagerly said yes.
"We lost that pre-season game. It went to penalties and I missed the final shot, causing us to lose. I was so sad and depressed, as I was always a winner. But our Japanese opponents invited us to this place as a gesture of thanks for playing against them," he continued.
"I wasn't enjoying myself here. I was still thinking about the missed penalty, so I went to bed early. But around 5 am, I heard a girl shouting from a nearby tent. I was scared, thinking someone was in trouble, but when I went to see what was happening, I found her trying to wake her friends up to watch the sunrise together," he said.
"She was surprised to see me, but she could speak English. I asked for her name and she told me it was Yui Satou. We had a small chat, which made me forget about my negative thoughts, and that's when the beautiful sunrise happened. The reddish sky made the moment even more romantic," he reminisced.
"I still remember that scene. I knew she was the one for me at that moment, so I said 'I love you' during the sunrise and to my surprise, your mother said 'yes'," he said, with a chuckle.
"Wait, what? You confessed your love at that moment? After just a small chat?" I asked, in disbelief.
"Yes, I knew she was the one for me. And time waits for no one, so I had to confess my love right away," he said, smiling.
This dude has balls made of steel. HEHE
"Well, I guess our love stories are similar, except you were braver," I said, admiring my dad.
"Ay ay! What is with this father-son chitchat? Let other people sleep," my mother said, waking up to our loud conversation.
"Haha, sorry honey," my dad said, sheepishly.
"What were you two talking about?" she asked.
I seized the opportunity to ask the perfect question. "Mom, why did you say yes when dad proposed?"
"Hold on, don't say a word sweetie. It'll make me turn red," my dad exclaimed as he covered his face.
"What? Haha, that's a funny question to ask your mom," my mom responded with a chuckle.
"Mom, I'm being serious here," I replied.
"Well, I don't have a straightforward answer. At the time, it just felt like the right choice, and I still stand by that decision. And, let's not forget about his muscular physique, that was a major factor, haha. Oh I nearly forgot his name. Micheal Jadon. It is so much similar to Micheal Jordan right??," my mom added with a grin.
"So, it was love at first sight?" I asked, turning to my parents.
My dad chuckled and said, "Love at first sight? Haha, kiddo, your generation has some peculiar ways of describing love. To me, it doesn't matter if it's first love or last love. The only thing that matters is love."
"Exactly. Love is one of the strongest emotions a human can experience. I even gave up my job that I had worked so hard for just to follow this random American soccer player, and I don't regret a thing," my mom added.
"Dad, what about you? How did you feel when Mom made you quit your job?" I asked, turning to my dad.
"Don't put it that way, family is always more important than soccer. I have no regrets about that decision," my dad replied.
"But you later became a soccer coach. So, you still had a love for soccer, right?" I asked.
"When you love soccer, it's not possible to completely step away from it. It's a beautiful game, and I always wanted you to play too," my dad explained.
"I do love soccer. I was in the junior high soccer club, and I wanted to join the high school club as well," I said.
"I remember you telling me about that, but you never explained why you didn't join. So, what's the reason?" my dad asked.
"If I joined the high school soccer club, I would've been scouted by a Japanese club. My dream is to start my career at... the first club I want to sign with is the one you played for when you retired. I know it's tough, but I'll work hard. And since they all know you, I hope that helps me out," I explained.
"I understand. It may seem like a silly reason, but it's the truth. I want to make your dream come true," I added, looking at my dad.
"Haha, you don't have to do it for me. Do what you love," my dad replied.
"I love soccer," I said with a determined look on my face.
As the sun rose, its beauty took my breath away. It was a moment I would never forget.
I thought camping with my parents would be dull, but I was wrong. I learned so much from this experience.
The most significant lesson was, "time waits for no one."