“Itterasshai” and “Tadaima.”
I don’t know when I first realized this everyday call-and-response is actually ichigo ichie one time, one meeting.
Every morning, at the door, we exchange something so ordinary.
“Itterasshai” a prayer for safe passage.
“Tadaima” the relief of reporting: I made it back.
But the truth is
today’s exchange might be the last one.
Once you feel that, an ordinary day quietly becomes a miracle.
Ichigo ichie, hidden in the ordinary
・“Itterasshai” in the morning is a prayer for a day that will never repeat
・“Tadaima” at night is proof that today ended safely
・The expression, the tone of voice all of it exists only today
・No one can promise we’ll say the same words tomorrow
So today too, I’ll say “itterasshai” to someone.
And I’ll put every prayer I have into that one word.