The source of richness for Okinawan is...

I went to visit my friend in Okinawa during Golden Week. He is starting a new challenge in July, so I wanted to meet him before that. Actually, I just wanted to see him, plain and simple.

In this trip, I had a new realization that I want to note down. It's about the kindness of the people in Okinawa. Being in a tropical region, I've always felt their warmth and friendliness through my experiences and interactions with my friend. However, I wondered where that kindness comes from. Hypothetically speaking, it comes from having a spirit of richness. On the second day of my visit to Okinawa, someone at a gas station kindly let me use the restroom with a smile. To explain why this act felt kind, I need to share an episode from the end of April in Tokyo.
At Shibuya Station, where the last train had already departed, I desperately felt the need to use the restroom. Since there were station staff still present, I politely asked, 'May I use the restroom?' To which I was told, 'Since there are no more trains, you can't enter the station.' It was a reasonable response. The station staff wasn't at fault, and I don't intend to criticize them. There's no benefit for the station to provide restrooms when operations have finished. The situation was exactly the same at the gas station in Okinawa. As a pedestrian, I couldn't be a customer. However, they still lent me the restroom with a smile. I was quite surprised.

Why are people in Okinawa so kind? I think it's because they have a sense of generosity. Perhaps it's linked to the warmth of the tropical climate. It was a time in Okinawa where I could experience the richness of the heart that is not often found in urban areas.

Bye!