◆Children
- Do you want your children to be professional musicians?
I don't think so. I am only an observer regarding my children's career.
That means that I want them to be responsible for their own lives.
- What do your children mean to you?
They are the origin of love.
- Do you mean that parents are awakened to love if they have children?
Yes, I think so. It is worthwhile having children only if you are capable
of feeling love. I really believe that. Children are innocent and feel
love toward their parents without judgment. Just observing them leads me
to the world of love. They think only about you, not other people. This
is unconditional love. We never realize what a precious thing that experience
is until we have children. I find myself appreciating my children even
if I don't always express those feelings in an obvious way. So parents
should be responsible for their children and support them until they reach
the stage when they can be independent and decide what to do about their
own future. I feel I havethat responsibility. Then children will go on
to teach their own children the things that they have learned from their
parents. I think the lessons are cumulative, that one generation's knowledge
is added to that of the past generation, perpetually. In that sense, it
is mandatory for human beings to have children in order to follow the right
path.
- Have you ever thought about writing an advice column for other people,
such as in a newspaper or a magazine?
Never. Never ever(laughing).Just before my debut, I answered some questions
written on cards during a late night radio program. One card said, 'I cannot
live alone. What shall I do?' My answer was 'Please be stronger!' That's
it.(laughing)I am not good at that kind of thing because I am not the type
of person who tends to sympathize seriously enough to listen to other people.
But now actually I think I have changed since then, because now I have
become a parent and now I gladly listen to my children. I have developed
the ability to listen to other people now.
- Even for adult problems?
I would be able to do some consultation if I were asked. I have more ideas
of what kind of advice to give now that I am old enough to have had more
experience.
- Have you ever written songs for your children?
No, I haven't. I wrote some songs including 'Kaze no Uta', based on some impressions I have had from my
children. After having your own children, you understand the child's feelings such as affection toward the
parents in your heart, and you can recall it kind of nostalgically. I wrote that song with that kind of feeling.
- Children remind us of many kinds of things. Does your house have a yard?
Yes, it does. It is not big though, but we have enough space to grow flowers.
And we can walk out there barefoot. Since I lived in an apartment in a
downtown area when my son was born, I wanted him to walk on the ground.
Children tend to pee while walking, but there aren't any good places like
ditches where they can easily do that in the center of the city. There
used to be many places like that in the past. I used to wonder where I
could take him to do that. Children are indeed precious.
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