As 2025 quietly comes to an end, I find myself in New York, reflecting on the year that has passed and the decades behind it. Time moves strangely when you stand between calendars and continents.
This year, I am welcoming the New Year in New York.
The last time I spent the New Year abroad was in 2001, when our family welcomed the new year in Hawaii. That was twenty-five years ago.
On television, the countdown at Times Square fills the screen.
It is very close to where we are staying, yet the crowds are overwhelming, so we decided not to go near it.
Twenty-five years ago, I was in my thirties and full of energy.
Time has passed in what feels like an instant.
During these years, my children have grown well, and I have been fortunate enough to continue my work. For that, I feel deeply grateful.
The year 2025 began with a major earthquake in Noto.
In the United States, Donald Trump began his second term as president. His tariffs were expected to cause global turmoil, but for now, the world seems to be finding a fragile balance.
In February, I managed to hold an academic meeting successfully. The first half of the year was demanding, filled with writing and lectures.
The progress of AI has been remarkable, and before I realized it, I had come to rely on it more than I ever imagined.
Moving my blog was another major event. Spending nearly an hour every day writing, it has become an important part of my life, and I am relieved that I have been able to start a new daily routine smoothly on Hatena Blog.
Ann turned one this year and experienced her first heat. I am slowly getting used to caring for a female dog, but this was certainly challenging.
In the summer House of Councillors election, the ruling party lost its majority, and Japan welcomed its first female prime minister.
I had planned to visit New York at the end of summer to see my daughter, but my brother’s condition worsened, and we postponed the trip, hoping that the year-end would be calmer.
He passed away in December.
The autumn of 2025 was unsettled and heavy because of him.
In Japan, 2026 has already begun.
The calendar works in strange ways, but for a little while longer, I will stay with my thoughts in 2025.
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