Hanami

I am not one for New Year’s resolutions, however, last December I decided to use my weekends for two things – REST and RECREATION. After all, I work ten hours per day, Mondays to Fridays as an ALT in Japan. And even on weekends I still find myself grinding as a part-time instructor. And when that gig is not available, I take on some random project to earn a few extra shillings. Or should I say yen?

In short, I was not keeping my promise to myself. What resulted from this was burnout. My doctor instructed me to take it easy, that is drop all my weekend activities that do not include rest. And while I was not so keen on following his instructions, those closest to me forced me to take a rest.

So in March, my partner and I decided that we would go on some weekend excursions. We would choose one place, preferably one that was off the beaten track, where we could have some downtime.

My burnout happened in February. There was nothing dramatic about it. No collapsing, or breakdown, or anything of the sort. I just got to a place where I could just do nothing. Physiologically I was drained. Psychologically I was in a daze. It was then that my partner Wen came over and censured me for not listening to my doctor’s orders. She nursed me also. It was then that I decided to keep the promise I made to myself in December.

The first thing we did was to go cherry blossom viewing in neighboring Ushiku, which is a small city about 41 km from Tokyo. We had been planning on doing it the previous weekend, but the weather was not the best so we put it off for the next. We could not have asked for clearer skies on that following weekend as that spring day was as salubrious as and the day could get.

As we sauntered through the narrow tracks lined with rows of cherry blossoms, I could do nothing but marvel at the satisfaction I found in something so simple. In Japan, they call cherry blossom viewing Hanami. It lasts for a short while, about several weeks or so, but it is one of the most anticipated times of the year.

It was while walking with Wen that I realize how much we often get caught up in the rat race. We forget just to slow down, and in this instance, fail to smell the blossoms. Wen and I did nothing fancy. We just held hands and forgot the cares of the world outside this park.

Spring is indeed an auspicious time. That weekend gave me time to think about how much time I spend working. Wen, my partner agreed too. She also had her run-in with burnout, so she decided long before I came on board to take it easy on Saturdays.

After our cherry blossom viewing, we went to have Turkish food at my favorite restaurant in the entire country. Being a vegetarian, Ali’s is one of the few places where I can eat without worrying about meat accidentally leaking into my food. And because so many were home for the holidays, the drive took us about half the time. Our time at Ali’s is a story all to itself. I will try to churn out something from that experience.

But all-in-all, that is my weekend in a nutshell, cherry blossom viewing, then lunch with that special woman in my life. So while I have not always kept my resolution, I must say that those times when I actually do, they have been quite fulfilling. Let’s see what happens next weekend.

By the way. I suck at photography. If you have any advice on how I can improve on this craft would be greatly appreciated. Until then, enjoy your weekend and do get some rest.