小さな語りシリーズ2024/06/28　 Small Story Serie

2024/06/28「週末」"Weekend"

汗のべたつく蒸し暑い朝、僕は静かにリビングの窓を開けた。カーテンが軽やかに揺れると、爽やかな風が部屋に流れ込んできた。

ひとり早く起きた僕は、仕事に出かける準備を始める。着替え終えると台所へと向かった。昨夜洗って乾かしていた水切りトレーに置かれた食器たちを、手際よく片付ける。少しでも家を整えておくことが朝の日課だ。家の整理を終えると、玄関の扉を開けて会社へと向かった。

その日もオフィスでは忙しい一日が待っていた。書類の山に目を通し、会議をこなし、時折外の景色を眺めては深呼吸をする。昼休憩の時間、向かい側の席から同僚同士の会話が聞こえてきた。なんでも週末に家族とバーベキューに行く話をしている。「週末、最近はどこにも行けてないな」家族の笑顔が頭をよぎる。

仕事を終えて帰宅すると、リビングで長女と次男が遊び、キッチンでは妻が夕食の準備をしている。俺はその光景を見て、思わず心が和んだ。この光景がなによりの宝物だった。

「週末、みんなで海に行こう！」そう提案すると、子供たちは目を輝かせ、「海！　海！」と口々にはしゃいだ。妻も微笑んで「いいわね」と答えた。

そして週末、家族全員で海辺に向かうと、潮風が心地よく肌を撫でる。子供たちは波と戯れ、妻と彼は砂浜に座ってその様子を見守る。夏の日差しが輝く中で、家族との時間が何よりも彼を幸せにしてくれた。

週末が過ぎれば、また新しい週が始まる。けれど週末に過ごす時間が糧となり、日々を乗り切る力を与えてくれる。家族の笑顔が、僕の毎日を支えてくれるから。

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On a sticky, humid morning, I quietly opened the living room window. As the curtains gently swayed, a refreshing breeze flowed into the room.

Having woken up early, I began preparing for work. After changing clothes, I headed to the kitchen. Efficiently, I put away the dishes that had been drying on the rack since the previous night. Tidying up the house in the morning is part of my daily routine. Once the house was in order, I opened the front door and left for work.

Another busy day awaited me at the office. I went through piles of documents, attended meetings, and occasionally glanced out the window to take a deep breath. During lunch break, I overheard a conversation between colleagues sitting across from me. They were discussing plans to go for a family barbecue over the weekend. "I haven't gone anywhere lately on weekends," I thought, as images of my family's smiles flashed through my mind.

When I returned home after work, my eldest daughter and youngest son were playing in the living room, and my wife was preparing dinner in the kitchen. Seeing this scene, my heart naturally warmed. This sight was my greatest treasure.

"Let's go to the beach this weekend!" I suggested. The children’s eyes lit up, and they excitedly exclaimed, "The beach! The beach!" My wife smiled and said, "That sounds wonderful."

And so, on the weekend, the whole family headed to the seaside. The salty breeze felt pleasant against our skin. The children played in the waves while my wife and I sat on the sandy shore, watching over them. Under the shining summer sun, spending time with my family brought me the greatest happiness.

When the weekend passes, a new week begins. But the time spent together on weekends fuels me, giving me the strength to get through each day. The smiles of my family support me every day.