My Lunchbox Diary VII

As the kindergarten requires,
children in the same neighborhood have to march together to and back from the kindergarten if the weather is clear. T has been practicing walking along with the march hand in hand with a bigger child (a guardian) for 2 weeks now. Before yesterday, he would not walk unless either K or I also held hands with him, but today was my first time to tail behind the march to see him walk ahead with others. In the beginning, he showed anxiety and looked back to search for me, but he was better at moving along with others today even though occasionally he was still distracted by insects and what other kids talked about. 

When he looked back at me and our eyes met, I felt another time the sense of loss with a realization that the child has again grown up. Seeing his small figure in a big group was quite a moment of emotion. 

After we have arrived, he came to embrace me to say goodbye, and this time he did not fuss as he used to but went into the building in a high spirit. 

The lunchbox above👆 was made on the day of the birthday of the kindergarten, 61st anniversary this year. The kindergarten requested that the day's lunch box should leave space for Sekigohan (celebration rice), which would be cooked on the day by the staff. It is their ritual every year. They ask every child to contribute 1/3 cup of rice a day before the event, and the rice put together is cooked with red beans in the yard of the kindergarten. Children will be able to see how the rice is prepared, and the day before they are informed with the explanation about the event.