I want to tell you in advance. Some readers may feel uncomfortable with this blog.
My most memorable vacation is the last trip with my grandpa. We visited Hiroshima together.
I think I wrote about him before.
He had lung cancer for 4 years and passed away in 2008. The doctor said to us to have the best memory with him as soon as possible.
He liked traveling, and sometimes he took me to foreign countries after he retired.
His childhood was poor. When he was a teenager, World War II began. To support his mom and younger sister (my aunt, she passed away 3 years ago) financially, he became a fighter pilot.
He was one of the survivors and later became a firefighter. He was promoted to fire chief at 28 and retired from that position at 58. Soon after, he was recruited by an oil company and served in a management position.
Money, Honor, and Family, he looked to get everything. But I think now that one thing he couldn’t get was enough Love. Perhaps he had been lonely. The reason is, he had two faces. He was kind to me, but he was a strict and different man according to my mom.
One day, he talked about an old man’s story. I still remember it.
“The old man is a millionaire. He was born into a poor family. He believed that money could buy everything. He worked very hard and became rich. As a rich man, he got everything he wanted, such as a luxury house, an expensive car, and an art collection, etc…
However, suddenly he noticed.
I got everything I wanted, but I am not satisfied at all. Why?
He started seeking someone he loves, but he couldn’t find her. He started finding the meaning of life, but…
The final decision was to end his own life.”
I was a child. I didn’t know anything about money and people’s desires. His story was just creepy.
Now I understand. What he wanted to tell me is that people always need goals. If you set goals, you can try to do your best. Goals give your life purpose and direction.
Oh, I didn’t write about why we visited Hiroshima.
Because he wanted to visit there. I loved and always respected him.
His honorable certificate. ↓
He rescued thousands of citizens while serving. He was the head of the Fire Department for a long time and retired as the fourth-highest ranking firefighter in Japan. He received many awards and medals of honor.
Describe a man who has positively impacted your life.
Photos by Pixabay