人間界へようこそ｜Welcome to the Human World｜2020/12/12

ムスメのお宮参りに行った。赤ちゃんが産まれるといろいろ行事がある。ただでさえミルクの時間で寝不足で面倒だなぁと思いつつ、振り袖コートみたいな服を被せて、近所の明治神宮に出かけた。普段は観光客で賑わっているけれど、朝一番は静かで気持ちがいい。神主さんに祝詞をあげてもらう。「渋谷の代々木の村に住まうサカキのテツロウ...」に続いてムスメの名前も呼ばれる。祝詞をききながらふとゴッドファーザーの洗礼式のシーンが頭の中を蘇った。人間の生と死、光と影を象徴するシーンだ。急に生物として誕生したムスメが、人間界に入れてもらうような実感が湧いてきた。と、ともにその親としての実感も湧いてきた。ゴッドファーザーのような激しい人生ではないものの、山アリ谷アリ、乗り越えていこう。（絵と文：サカキテツ朗）
I went to visit shrine with my daughter for the first time. There are various events when a baby is born. I went to Meiji Jingu in the neighborhood, wearing clothes like a furisode coat, thinking that it would be troublesome because I didn't have enough sleep for milk time. It's usually crowded with tourists, but the first thing in the morning was quiet and comfortable. We got the priest to give a congratulatory message. The name of my daughter was also called after "Tetsuro of Sakaki who lives in the village of Yoyogi in Shibuya ...". While listening to the congratulatory words, the scene of the Godfather's baptism revived in my head. It is a scene that symbolizes human life and death, light and shadow. Suddenly I got a feeling that my daughter who was born as a living thing had included in the human world. And I also realized that I was a parent. It's not a fierce life like the Godfather, but let's overcome the mountain and valley life. -Text and illustration by Ted Sakaki