A Small Prayer and a Big Circle on My Hairtail Fishing Days

A Small Prayer and a Big Circle on My Hairtail Fishing Days

by Mountain Mouth Mercy

Good morning! I am Mountain Mouth Mercy!

When I go to the sea for hairtail fishing,
the sky is still quiet in the early morning.

My boat cuts through the soft blue water,
and the cold wind touches my cheeks.
My heart becomes calm and strong.

Another day begins,
a day with the quiet, strict, and kind sea.

■ My Work: Blessings in Each Hook

I use “longline fishing.”

I put small sardine bait
carefully on each hook.

This careful action is very important,
because it shows respect
—to the sea,
—to the fish,
—and to the work.

When I drop the long line into the sea
and pull it up again,

the silver hairtail shines beautifully.
That moment makes all the work worth it.

I repeat this hundreds and thousands of times every day.

■ Old Bait Also Has a “Last Job”

After 25 years of fishing,
I learned something important:

Even old bait has a final role.

When I change the bait,
I do not throw the old bait into the sea.

I keep it in a small box.

Then I call to the sky:

“Hey seagulls! I have food again today! Thank you always!”

Soon, white wings come flying
from somewhere in the sky.

Many, many seagulls come,
happy and excited,
and they eat the old bait.

When I look at them from above,
it looks like lucky birds
are dancing around my boat.

It feels like “thank you”
is falling from the sky.

When I continue this
for many days, months, and years,
the seagulls remember my boat.

They come every day,
like they are saying:

“We came again!”
“Thank you for today!”

■ The Magic of Seagulls

I imagine something fun:

Maybe the seagulls talk in the sky:

“Let’s give magic to this boat!”
“May he catch many hairtails today!”
“Sea god, please take care of this boat!”

Maybe their prayer rides on the wind
and goes into the sea.

And maybe that is why
I sometimes get good fishing days
and happy surprises.

Also:

Music jobs come,
TV calls me,
newspaper stories include me,
YouTube collaborations happen,
talk events appear suddenly,
and concerts in other prefectures are decided.

So many miracles happen
in my 43 years of life.

Maybe it is because
I keep giving small “thank yous.”

I believe that
thankfulness comes back
in a different shape someday—
for sea creatures,
for people,
and for life.

■ Cleaning, Music, Mountains… All Are “Thank You Work”

Cleaning the boat.
Caring for the mountain.
Making videos.
Writing songs.
Giving gifts to people suddenly.

They look different,
but they are the same:

All of them are “Thank-you actions.”

If I continue them
with a happy and playful heart,

they connect someday,
and bring good things back
to my life.

■ With a Child’s Heart, I Pray Again

Today again, I go to the sea.

As a fisherman and musician,
I speak softly to the sky, the sea, and the world:

“Thank you so much!
Please take care of me today too!
Banzaai!”

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#ThankfulLife #FishermanStory #HairtailFishing #CircleOfGratitude #MagicOfNature #SeagullFriends #BlessingsAtSea #SimpleHappiness #PositiveVibes #MountainMouthMercy