December 5, 2022: My Daughter, Out of Contact（娘、連絡がない）

My daughter will reach her birthday shortly. But she is not at my home as she got married last year. My wife and I will have the second anniversary of her birthday without her. It makes me feel lonelier than the first one. The first anniversary came just a few months after she got married. So, I must have been caught up in the euphoria of her marriage. It must have been more than the loneliness I felt when she left home. I will miss her more and more on her future birthdays.
But she does not care about us at all. She must be so busy that she cannot afford to do so. I have not heard a word from her since I met her in October. She has not gotten in touch with my wife, either. I wish we could hear from her even over Line. But I can’t have much hope for it. So my wife and I came up with an idea which should force her to contact us. We mailed her a birthday present. Then she got in touch with my wife as soon as she received it. I was relieved to hear she is going well.

まもなく娘の誕生日を迎えます。でも、娘は昨年結婚したので、本人がいない誕生日です。これが昨年に続き、2回目の誕生日ですが、昨年以上に寂しく感じます。昨年は、結婚したばかりだったので、結婚した喜びのほうが大きかったのかもしれません。これからは、誕生日が来る度に、娘が恋しくなりそうです。
でも、当のご本人はそんなことにはまったく気付いていません。きっと自分たちのことで忙しくてそんなことに頭が回らないのでしょう。10月に会って以来なしのつぶてです。ボクだけでなく、妻にも連絡がありません。ラインでいいから連絡してくれるとうれしいのですが、期待できそうにありません。そこで、連絡をくれそうな方法を考えました。誕生日プレゼントを郵送したのです。そしたら、さすがに妻に連絡がありました。元気そうとのことなので一安心です。