Invited by a friend I passed through the gate of a church. With few other ladies, I started to go to a class given by a Sister, about the Christian religion. Hearing the word “sacrament”, someone asked a question about priests. Sister answered that a priest is like a doctor for your soul. As I had not been very healthy since I was little, I always wanted to be a doctor when I grow up. I felt captured by this word.
A priest has to be a man. So for me as a girl, by becoming a nun, I can help him as a nurse. This thought stayed in my heart as a tiny seed of longing for the religious life.
This kind of simple reason made me open my eyes to my vocation. I got baptized, then at my first communion I prayed: Please make me a Sister and let me serve you. Soon this tiny seed sprouted and got even too big for me to carry.
As my family did not know anything about the Christian religion, I did not know how I could explain my wish. But one day, I told the family that entering the convent is the way to my happiness. Violent opposition. But my mother had not touched this subject very much.
One day when I was alone with my mother, I asked again: “Entering the convent is the way to my happiness. May I go in ? “ She looked sad, but said clearly “ You are now grown up enough to take the responsibility for yourself . If you say that it’s your happiness, how can I be against it. Every parent wishes the happiness of his/her child. But you are responsible about the decision you make.”
Mother accepted the consequence if she gave me the permission. Happily I left for Osaka, to the Daughters of St. Paul convent. I did not know until 20 years later that my mother had to face and handle all criticism and questions for me.
My both parents got baptized and they have gone to Heaven in my arms, as I could take care of them as a nurse.
Mother used to say “ Live your life that you have chosen yourself until the end”.
Now that 40 years have passed, I can look back at my life thinking that it really was the road of happiness.