Nakanoshima, Osaka

The other day, I went with my uncle to see a Chinese Acrobatic Troupe performance at Nakanoshima. It had been a long time since I had been to Nakanoshima, and I walked along the river, simply amazed at how much Nakanoshima had been transformed over the past few years. The illuminated bridge floated on the beautiful surface of the water, creating a romantic and fantastic space.

先日、叔父さんと一緒に中ノ島で開催されている中国雑技団の演技を見に行った。中ノ島に来るのは久々で、ここ数年で大変身を遂げた中ノ島にただただびっくりしながら川沿いを歩いていた。綺麗な水面にライトアップされた橋が浮かび上がり、ロマンチックで幻想的な空間になっていた。

What a cool place!

Nakanoshima is home to many major companies, and when I arrived at Yodoyabashi station, I saw many people walking from their offices in Nakanoshima toward Yodoyabashi station. Everyone was dressed in cool suits, and I was reminded that there are people living in a world like this in Nakanoshima, Osaka, which is a little different from my own world, somewhere in Kyobashi. They look cool, but they must be working under a lot of stress, and it must be really hard for them. 😅

中ノ島は大手の企業もたくさん進出していて、私が淀屋橋駅に着いたときには、中ノ島のオフィスから淀屋橋駅に向かって歩くたくさんの方々がいた。みんなかっこいいスーツ姿で、こんな世界で生きている人もいるんだなぁーなんて少し自分の世界とは違った世界が大阪の中ノ島にはあると再認識できた。かっこいいけど、絶対にストレスためながら仕事をしてて、まじで大変そう。

"Salary is the price of endurance."

"Salary is the price of endurance," a senior colleague at a previous job used to say. In a way, the exact phrase stuck in my head and gave me a certain sense of value toward my work. As the salary increases, the responsibility and stress of the job increases, and the time available for oneself decreases. I read in a book that the average annual salary is around 8 million yen, and after that, even if the annual salary increases, the happiness a person feels is not proportional to the increase. I don't even wear the cool suits I used to wear for work. I also got rid of my brand-name leather shoes. My salary has decreased, but I have more time for myself, and most importantly, my sense of happiness has increased. My sisters are relieved that I can live close to my aging Okan, my mom. I have decided to live a life that gives me a sense of purpose and fulfillment, a choice I made at the turn of my life, and so far I am enjoying my time here. I am not able to work in the cool Nakanoshima, but I can visit Nakanoshima from time to time to have fun. Life is not bad at all. I am enjoying it 😄🌸

「給料は我慢料」とは、前職の先輩が言っていた口癖だ。ある意味、的を得た先輩の口癖は頭から離れず、私の仕事に対するある種の価値観を与えてくれまあいた。給料が上がると共に、その仕事に対する責任感とストレスは増し、自分に使える時間は減ると思います。平均で年収800万円ぐらいをマックスに後は年収が上がってもその人が感じる幸福感は比例しないと何かの本で読みました。今は仕事でかつて着ていたかっこいいスーツも着ていません。ブランド物の革靴も処分しました。給与も減りましたが、自分の時間は増え、何よりも幸福感は増しました。年を重ね心配していたオカンとも近くに住むことができ、姉たちも安心しています。生き甲斐を感じ、充実感を感じる生き方こと、人生の折り返しを迎え私が決めた選択肢ですが、今のところ楽しく時間を過ごせてて、この選択は間違ってなかったと思えています。かっこいい中ノ島で仕事はできていないけど、中ノ島にはちょくちょく遊びに行けばいいしなぁーと思っています🎵