きのうは一昨日のゴルフ大会に引き続き、高校の同期会でした。1969年の高校卒業からは55年が経過して多くの友人たちは仕事からもリタイヤした人が多い。しかし久しぶり、年に一度の同期会では酒を酌み交わしてのくだけた会話・情報交換で大盛り上がり。
開会に先立って、物故者への黙祷から開始。つい最近、今年になっても２名ほど同期性が突然世を去ったのですが、つねにそういった別れが積み重なっていく。450人前後の同期性の内、すでに50人ほどが世を去っているということで、10数パーセントが該当している。別離ということは確実にやってくるのだけれど、そういう決定〜けつじょう〜のなかでどうするか、日々の生き様のなかで、いまをどのように過ごすべきか、そういう情報交換の場になっていた。
わたし自身のことについても、日々書いているこのブログを読んでくれている友人もいて、さまざまな「反響・意見」などを受け取らせていただいた。深く感謝。そして、そのような会話のなかで「なにをすべきか」内省的に時間が過ぎて行っていた。
もう数十年こういった同期会を続けているけれど、それでもまだ初めて聞くというような話題も多く、そういう友人たちの「経験知」というものを共有させていただけることを強く実感させられる。考えて見ると稀有に貴重なことでしょうね。
いちばん上の写真は会の余興として行われていた「俳句」の優秀作・最優秀作の一句。最優秀作の「今度いつかね」というコトバは、言霊〜ことだま〜を深く感じさせてくれるし、また優秀作の「泣き笑い」もしみじみと染みわたってくるものがある。
あ、わたしは俳句を「短歌」と聞き間違えて、さらに字余りの自由短歌ということではるかな「選外」でした（笑）。提出したところで内容は記憶があいまいになっているのだけれど、「割れても末に会わんとぞ思う」の本歌を下敷きにした歌をひねり出したように思う。
今生でか、NEXTでか、よくわからないけれど、そういった気分でこれからの時間を有意義に使って生きていきたいと思わされた次第。みんな来年以降も元気な顔を見せて欲しい。
English version⬇
[Participation in a high school class reunion Living an agile aging society
55 years have passed since I graduated from high school. A shared experience of a sensitive and exciting time. It is a rare opportunity to check in on the present. I am in the mindset that even if I am broken, I will see you again at the end of my life. .......
Yesterday, following the golf tournament the day before yesterday, we had a high school class reunion. 55 years have passed since I graduated from high school in 1969, and many of my friends have retired from work as well. However, it has been a long time since they last met, and the annual reunion was a great success with casual conversation and exchange of information over drinks.
Prior to the opening of the meeting, a moment of silence was observed for those who have passed away. Of the 450 or so people who have passed away, about 50 have already passed away, which is more than 10 percent of the total. Although partings are sure to come, this was a place to exchange information about what to do in the midst of such decisions and how to spend the present time in one's daily life.
Some of my friends read this blog, which I write about myself on a daily basis, and I received various "reactions and opinions" from them. I am deeply grateful. And in the midst of these conversations, time passed introspectively as I wondered what I should do.
Although we have been holding such meetings for several decades, there are still many topics that I have never heard of before, and I strongly feel that I am able to share the "experiential knowledge" of my friends. When I think about it, it must be a rare and precious thing.
This picture shows one of the excellent and the best haiku that were presented as entertainment at the meeting. The words "Someday next time" of the best haiku makes me deeply feel the spirit of words (Kotodama), and "Crying and Laughing" of the excellent haiku is also deeply moving.
I mistook haiku for tanka, and my entry was not selected because it was a free tanka with too many characters (laugh). (Laughs.) My memory is a little fuzzy as to the content of the poem I submitted, but I think I came up with a poem based on the original poem "Cracked, but I will see you at the end of time," which was written in the same style as the original poem.
I am not sure if it is in this life or in the NEXT life, but I would like to use my time from now on in a meaningful way with such a feeling. I hope that everyone will continue to show their energy in the coming year and beyond.