From the middle of my second year of junior high school, Ebisuya-san stopped hitting fungoes and I felt that I had less chance to see him in junior high school.
One day in my third year of junior high school, I knew that he had moved to another junior high school.
After a while, I heard that Ebisuya-san was dead.
I couldn't attend his funeral, didn't know the location of his grave, and I haven't been able to visit his grave yet.
Even so, when I entered the baseball club in high school and university, I always talked to him in my heart, "I'm still playing baseball. Please take a look. I'll do my best."
When I didn't play baseball well or had a hard time, I inspired myself by saying, "He is more pleased that I continue to play baseball than the results."
Even now, I sometimes talk to him, "I continued to play baseball until university."
I feel that he would praise me for continuing to play baseball until the end of university and say, "You did well!"
At one point, I regretted not to visit his grave, but recently my thinking has changed.
His words still remain in my heart.
"Study and practice are three times as much as others!"
"Do your best!!"
"You did well!!!"
In this way, he encourages me from my heart.
I feel like he says me, "Practice rather than visit my grave."
Therefore, when I remember him, I think I can visit his grave to put my hands together in my heart.
"Ebisuya-san, I quit baseball, but I do my best every day."
I think that it is visiting to his grave to keeping moving toward new my goals, he would be glad to see and cheer such me.
to be continued...
