autumn cleaning

Early Sunday morning we gathered with our neighbors on the little road outside. Our house is one of eight sharing a narrow winding road that gets us from the big street to the bottom of the mountain where our group of houses is situated. Every autumn the neighbors gather and clean the road and this year was the first time we participated.

Our son was very happy to be allowed to go out and play much earlier than usual so he was his happy self on steroids when he came running down the country lane dragging a little broom. It turned out we were the only ones who joined as a family and our little baby became the focus of everyone’s attention when he helped me sweep leaves and grass off the road; he even picked up a few acorns by himself and carried them to the roadside.

Being many neighbors helping out, each one taking the task at hand very seriously, it did not take long until the street was clean and the neighbors stared to do small talk with each other instead. I had anticipated an all-morning engagement, especially so when an elderly man carrying a heavy cool bag filled with drinks came around to everyone, doing the job of a movable non-alcoholic minibar, handing out drinks. I think he had the toughest job of all of us that day; that is apart from our son – he wanted to continue sweeping the road long after everyone else was done.

People gathering picking up garbage and making common areas clean is a common thing in Japan, one that I am very fond of. I am so happy we joined with all our little family; not only is everything much more fun when we do it together but also I believe it is important for our son to early experience the importance of helping out, working together for a common good, and taking care of the world surrounding us. So I look forward to many more cleaning days in the future.