Right from the first episode, it was clear that Usagi Drop was going to be a special show. The first episode is based around the funeral of Daikichi’s grandfather, with the family attempting to figure out what to do with the old man’s illegitimate child, Rin. After the family reaches the conclusion of putting her up for adoption, single working man, Daikichi, volunteers to take her in.
Though perhaps he isn’t thinking in this manner, Daikichi is showing that love is an action, not a state of being.
Being “in love” is the easiest thing in the world. It’s an extreme high that costs us nothing. Showing love, on the other hand, sometimes costs us a whole lot. Loving someone can take time, energy, and money, and may result in nothing in return – or even worse, pain in reciprocation.
Daikichi isn’t an especially sensitive man, and perhaps that makes this story even stronger. We don’t expect him to be the type to tenderly care for the young girl; instead, we think she should be a burden to him. And according the world, perhaps she is. She takes up his free time and his work time; she costs him emotionally and financially; and she changes his entire lifestyle – not an comfortable thing to do for a bachelor.
Yet, Daikichi responds time after time with love.
When confronted with an opportunity to love, the easiest thing to do is to say “no.” Answering “no” means not having to invest in a relationship that could give you so much pain and so little else in return.
Perhaps that’s really where love begins, when one makes that first step in saying, “yes, even so, I will love you for who you are.”
Have you ever made that decision to to love someone, even knowing that it would be easier to just walk away? Did you regret your decision?
Woah this article hit pretty close to home. I was jut thinking about this yesterday, the way my relationship with my ex broke up. After moving to Australia, trying to maintain the long distance relationship really took its toll on us, or me to be more precise. International calls are pretty expensive, It was my first year at college so naturally I had less time to spend chatting with her online. It became a real burden and we eventually had to break it off.
So Yeah I guess I ailed in a sense, and I kinda do regret it, kinda, but the memories will be with me forever so I can hold on to that.
Good article man 🙂
Thanks for sharing. It’s definitely difficult to maintain that LDR thing, which is why so many don’t work out! I had a very close friend who dated his girl for only about a month before he left for bible college – their entire 2-year dating relationship was long distance, but it was a rarity in that they ended up marrying. I guess the distance will either break you apart (5 cm per Second!) or make you stronger.
There’s something to be said about the whole “meant to be” thing, though, I think. It sounds like you’re in a good place that you’re okay with it passing, though you value the time you had with her!