Book Title: Mom, It’s My Turn to Take Care of You

Synopsis:

The latest masterpiece full of laughter and tears from Shimada Yoshichi, author of the bestselling book Gabai Granny from Saga!

With the right mindset, caring for aging parents is no longer a heavy burden, but an opportunity to sort out your life and a starting point to enjoy the parent-child relationship once again! A touching story that allows people to look at the trials of caregiving with humor and ponder life in old age!

Face everything in life with Shimada-style humor, and things will become simple:

One of the things Saga Granny taught me was to pretend you didn't mean to be kind when helping others.

Since Saga Granny taught me this from an early age, whenever I give gifts to others, I always say,

"I bought too much that day."

"When giving souvenirs to others, I’m also used to saying:

It just happened to be a big sale."

The same goes for the new house built nearby to take care of my mother-in-law.

"Listen up, Tokugawa Ieyasu died, Prince Shotoku died, and our grandpa died too. So, everyone dies eventually."

When I first heard Granny say this, I thought, "Comparing Prince Shotoku to our grandpa is a bit too outrageous, isn't it?"

The only thing that felt inconvenient about returning to Saga was opening and closing the door.

An ordinary front door can be opened or closed by simply turning a key, but our front door is traditional and a bit troublesome to open and close.

"Using this kind of door is so troublesome."

"It's good for people to use their hands more. Doing this kind of detailed work every day keeps you from getting slow."

No matter what kind of life you live, if your mindset changes, your mood changes with it.

Just like what "Saga Granny" taught us: "The river is a natural supermarket."

The reason why my wife and I were able to go through the life of caring for my mother-in-law with a smile is mainly because neither of our personalities overthinks things; we are both optimists.

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Parents will always grow old; it is something we cannot escape.

Caregiving is just like life—you can change your perspective and adjust your mindset.

Thinking "It's all because Mom got sick that I had to return to my hometown"

versus "Thanks to having to take care of my parents, I have the opportunity to return to my old home."

This kind of thinking definitely supports us more than a million dollars.

Caregiving is just like performing stand-up comedy (Manzai); you must genuinely want to make the other person happy.

It’s not just a formality like eating or taking medicine,

but the truth of life that provides dignity and entertainment.

During the fourteen long years of caregiving life, Mom taught me many things.

"Caregiving is all about laughing!"

Caregiving is just a part of life.

Living too seriously is just too exhausting;

the important thing is to be able to spend it happily.

It was Mom who made me realize this.

Mom, thank you.

Shimada Yoshichi, widely known for Gabai Granny from Saga, found land and built a house in his hometown of Saga for his stroke-stricken mother-in-law (Mom), moving the whole family back to Saga from Tokyo. This book records the fourteen years he and his wife spent caring for his mother-in-law, filled with laughter and tears. In the book, the couple shares their insights into caregiving, as well as their attitude towards life and wisdom.

In addition to sharing the situations encountered during the caregiving process, the book also mentions emotional communication and education among relatives. It is hoped that this book can inspire, comfort, accompany, and encourage everyone, so that everyone can realize, as Yoshichi did, that "Caregiving must involve laughter," and understand that caregiving is not an obligation, but "'We share it together,' sharing pain and joy with the other person." May you be as optimistic, positive, and full of love as the Shimada couple!

Endorsements

"This book is written in an easy-to-read, relaxed manner; it’s the sincere way of speaking that I like... Many concepts in it make me think, 'Hey, that’s exactly right,' making me feel it truly makes sense. Caregiving is just like life—if you demand returns, you will feel pain. If you simply think, 'I just want you to be happy,' your mood will feel much lighter. This book is a blessing that you will likely need too. I wish you the ability to smile at yourself after feeling discouraged, and to make others laugh amidst pain." —— Commercial Director and Novelist, Lu Chien-chang

About the Author

Shimada Yoshichi

Born on February 10, 1950, in Hiroshima. His birth name is Tokunaga Akihiro. He lived in Saga during his elementary and junior high school years. As part of the comedy duo "B&B," he successively won numerous awards including the NHK Kamigata Manzai Contest, the YTV Kamigata Comedy Award, and the OBC Kamigata Manzai Award, becoming a leading figure in the Manzai boom of the 1980s. His comedy catchphrase "Momiji Manju" (Maple Leaf Manju) was wildly popular at the time.

Gabai Granny from Saga, which describes his life living with his maternal grandmother in Saga, became a bestseller and was also highly acclaimed overseas. Currently, in addition to his career in the entertainment industry, he is also active in speaking engagements, writing, and other activities.

About the Translator

Chuang Ya-hsiu

Currently a full-time translator. Her translations include What Death Taught Me About Living: 20 Years of Life and Death Reflections by a Trauma Scene Cleaner, Why the World's Top Professionals Value Such Basics, The Paleo Diet: Eat the Foods Your Genes Need Most, The Art of the Apology, Simple Thinking: Former LINE CEO Discloses the Secret to Success in the Internet Era, among others.