Mother's Day2025 Interview④
- Maco Yoshioka
- 5月20日
- 読了時間: 5分
更新日：2 日前
From ‘Not Enough’ to ‘More Than Enough’’
Discovering the Richness of Everyday Life Through Writing
Interview with Haru
Interviewer: Rumiko Takahashi
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Single Mothers’ Sisterhood Mother’s Day Campaign. To celebrate this milestone, we launched a special series of interviews that revisit the past authors to hear what has happened in their lives since they wrote.
In this fourth interview, we speak with Haru, who has contributed essays over four years, starting with the first campaign. We asked her about the insights and changes that came from writing, the role of support, and what lies ahead.
Haru's Essay
A 680 km journey to meet my "likes" (May 2023）
Envisioning the 10-story building of my dream (May 2022）
How do you feel when you read your old essays again?
My first thought was, “I can’t believe I wrote all this!”
When I joined the first campaign, my son was three; now he’s seven.
Each piece became a record of his growth, so I can picture him at every stage and quietly reflect, “He’s grown so much.” While juggling childcare, I carved out pockets of time to set down my thoughts in my own words, and I want to thank my past self for that effort.
Each essay was refined through patient back-and-forth with the volunteer editorial team who proofread my drafts, and that care makes every single one priceless.
Did you notice any changes while writing your essays?
At first, I tried really hard to sound positive.
When I joined the program, I hadn’t fully recovered from the divorce. I felt a bit insecure about being a single parent. I kept focusing on what I didn’t have: “My child doesn’t have a father or siblings. I don’t have a husband, and I don’t even have a great career to be proud of.” That made me feel really down.
But I didn’t want to say negative things and make people worry. I think I was trying to hide my mixed feelings and act cheerful, even when I didn’t feel that way inside.
You can see in my early essays that I was trying too hard—like I was telling myself, “I have to stay strong!” Looking back now, I think that version of me was very real for that time in my life.
I learned to accept myself as I am
Over time, as I continued to write essays for the campaign, I slowly became able to accept even the negative parts of myself. My writing started to feel more natural and relaxed. This change happened because everyone in the Sisterhood accepted me just as I was.
When I struggled to write and couldn’t find the right words, they stayed close to my feelings and said things like, “Maybe this is what you really want to say ?” They helped me find the words together.
Little by little, I began to feel safe. I started to believe, “It’s okay to show my worries and the parts of me that aren’t so positive.”
From what’s missing, to what I already have.
Through the writing process, I began to notice what I do have. I used to focus only on the things I lacked, but I realized how fortunate I actually am—in friendships, at work, in life. Once I gained that perspective, it became easier to bounce back from hard times.
Did participating in the campaign affect your relationships with others?
Definitely. It helped me build deeper connections.
At first, I was hesitant to share my essays with friends or family. But in my third essay, The 10-Story Dream I Imagine, I wrote a sweet story about my son that I couldn’t help but share. When I finally did, the response was overwhelmingly warm.
That moment gave me permission to show my true self. And by doing that, others started opening up to me too. It brought us closer.
Do you have any favorite lines from your essays?
Yes! I actually ranked my top three:
No. 3
In my private life, I got married to a coworker, got divorced while on maternity leave, stirred up a bit of buzz in the office, and returned to work in possibly the most awkward way imaginable.
(From “Camping for the First Time Made Me Reflect on What’s Next,” Dec 2023)
It really was that awkward at the time—far from funny. But being able to write about it now tells me I’ve come a long way. I was proud just to be able to put it into words.
No. 2
Someday, I hope to quietly offer someone the lemonade I’ve made.
(From “A Powerful Line from a Drama I Wouldn’t Normally Watch,” Dec 2022)
The campaign’s theme that year was “Turn lemons into lemonade.” Meeting the Sisterhood was the beginning of my lemonade-making journey. I wanted to become someone who could gently support others, just as they had supported me.
No. 1
As I savored those tiny hands resting on mine, we held our own little strategy meeting.(From “680 km to Chase What I Love,” May 2023)
Every time I read this line, I can almost feel the warmth of my son’s hand and remember his smiling face. It’s a moment etched in my memory in a way that neither photos nor videos could capture.
I’m truly grateful to my past self for writing it down.
What dreams or goals do you want to pursue over the next three years?
The most important thing to me is staying mentally and physically healthy. I’ve learned that I can’t fully enjoy parenting or work unless I’m well. That’s why I continue to join the Sisterhood’s self-care programs—and last year, I even tried something new: the running club!
As I built a running habit, I realized that both running and writing are ways of having a conversation with myself. Whether I finish a run or complete a piece of writing, I get the same feeling of “I did it”—a sense of acceptance and accomplishment.
Sharing that feeling with others is part of what makes the Sisterhood so special.
As for my dream, I wrote about it in my sixth essay: I want to be involved in spreading the power of picture books. I’m not aiming to become an author right now. Instead, I want to help connect amazing books with the children who need them most.
I’ve tried organizing parent-child events and doing read-alouds at elementary schools. The kids’ reactions were so pure and joyful—I truly loved it. I also admire the work of certified picture book specialists.
Being able to speak about these dreams at all is something I credit to the experience of writing essays and the encouragement of my Sisterhood peers.
6. Any final message for the readers?
To everyone who has read my essays—thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Through writing, I’ve come to accept myself as a single parent. And now, I’ve learned to embrace the quiet beauty of everyday life with my son.
There are many ways to be a family. What matters most isn’t the shape of the family, but the warmth inside it.
The essays in this campaign reflect the voices and love that single mothers pour into their homes. I hope this campaign continues to grow, helping society see and accept the many different ways a family can look.
Thank you, Haru. Your reflections reveal just how much writing has helped you embrace who you are and recognize the richness of your daily life. We hope the days you share with your son will continue to be warm and full of joy. You have our heartfelt support.
Rumiko
Call for Donations
Thank you for reading this interview to the end.The nonprofit organization Single Mothers Sisterhood supports the mental and physical health and empowerment of single mothers. Your generous donations will be carefully used to fund the operation of 'Self-Care Workshops for Single Mothers'. Donations are accepted via the Donate button below.
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