From Daikon To Darling
The following speech won 1st place in the JHS Prefectural Speech Contest 2011. It was written by Iwata Masaki from Akita Kita Junior High School.
From Daikon To Darling
"Excuse me. Where are the toilets?" This is the question that opened the doors to my new life. I was outside the Community Center asking elderly people playing table tennis where I could find the toilets. At that time, I didn't know this group of people would be responsible for my exciting new world.
Before that day, I lived an unexciting life full of stereotypes and judgements. When I was in elementary school, a classmate once told me: "You have daikon legs!" How do you respond to that? I had no words! I might have been a little chubby but that is no reason to call me names. That is why I believed that young people judge others too quickly and never change their judgements. Even though I was cheerful, I couldn't be funny in front of others. I didn't have confidence because I was afraid of what others would think. My friends thought I was dull because I didn't want to stand out.
When I went to the Community Center that day, all I wanted was to use their toilets! I never expected an old man to ask me: "Why don't you join us?". I was very shy but I was also interested in table tennis and so I bravely said: "Uh, ok." "What?" "Sure, I'd like to." I never thought that people over 50 years older would want to spend time with me. I thought elderly and young people can't be friends. What a strange sight to see people older than my grandmother play a sport! Shouldn't they be playing shogi or igo instead? It was so odd to have Mr. Takeuchi, a 98 year old man, invite me to play with them. What an unfair match! Of course I was going to win! I am young and energetic and he is old and deaf! Boy was I wrong. He beat me by a LOT! How did he do it? He's so cool! Though I lost, I still felt accepted. I had so much fun, I didn't want it to end. And so, I decided to go back and play with them during my free time. I got to know the club members better and quickly they become true friends. Mr. and Mrs. Hayashi especially took me under their wing. They taught me many things, not just about table tennis but about life.
Mr. Hayashi taught me to take advantage of many sports while I'm still young. He taught me the importance of taking action. A little bit of bravery can change the world! This advice gave me the confidence to approach the students at my juku school. At first, it wasn't easy but like in table tennis, the more practice you get, the better you are. I started to make new friends and they treated me without and complex. I can even talk to girls without shyness! Before I was too nervous to talk to them but now they are no longer scary! These daikon legs can approach any lady! Presently, I have good friends at both of my schools and at the community center. I am finally coming out of my shell! After all, I realized the walls that made me shy and reserved were of my own creation.
We put up walls to protect ourselves but these walls also stop us from growing. If we surround ourselves with the same people, our life will remain dull and narrow. By reaching out to different crowds and generations, we are given a key to a new world. So, stop waiting to be approached. Be brave, break down those walls and discover the new possibilities.
