Because This Will Be My Final Home, I Want to Value Space Rather Than Possessions - Reflections on Living with Less at Eden no Sono - July 20, 2026 (Mon, Marine Day) R8

This morning, I had planned to visit the orthopedic clinic at the Bethel Hospital next door.

Then I remembered that today is Marine Day, a national holiday in Japan, so the clinic was closed. It was a slightly disappointing start to the day.

Still, as I sat quietly enjoying the cool morning breeze, my thoughts drifted in another direction.

Recently, renovation work has been taking place in several apartments at Eden no Sono.

One room after another is being completely renewed, with new flooring, walls, and equipment, preparing each apartment for its next resident.

The construction noise can be quite loud during the day, but it also reminds me that many people are waiting for the opportunity to live here.

That led me to think about what it really means when a room becomes vacant.

On the bulletin board in front of the dining hall, notices announcing the passing of residents are posted almost every month. Most of them are residents from the nursing care building.

Each notice reminds me that this is a place where one person's life comes to an end while another person's new chapter quietly begins.

The apartment where I now live was once someone else's home.

I do not know whether that person moved to the nursing care building, returned to live with family, or passed away.

The residence respects everyone's privacy, so those stories remain unknown.

Perhaps because of that, I often imagine the life that once unfolded within these walls.

Our house in Shizuoka had three stories, many rooms, and was filled with possessions accumulated over the years.

Those belongings represented precious memories and the history of our family.

Now, I live in a spacious three-room apartment at Eden no Sono.

The largest apartment was never available, but I feel deeply grateful for the generous space I have now.

That is why I want to live differently.

I want to avoid filling this home with more things and instead preserve the openness of the space.

Rather than being surrounded by possessions, I would rather be surrounded by a sense of spaciousness.

Recently, I often hear the Japanese expression shukatsu, which refers to preparing for the final stage of life.

To me, it is not something dramatic.

It simply means gradually reducing what I own.

I love books, and many of my belongings carry precious memories.

So letting go is not easy.

Even so, I hope to continue choosing carefully what I truly need, one item at a time.

Perhaps preparing for the final chapter of life is not about acquiring more, but about learning, little by little, how to let go.

These were the thoughts that came to me while enjoying the quiet morning breeze.

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