Despite my cold, I went to a farewell party for Maya-chan at Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum. As an artist she is absolutely unfit for a "live painting" performance. She seemed to be hesitating while painting. I do understand, though. It is only natural that she was hesitating then. She must be having a hard time now, in order to go over a big step. I believe she can reach beyond that step since she has gone through so many difficulties before. I kissed her good-by on her cheek, wondering if this would be the last time to see each other in this life. At the same time, I know that it usually happens that we get to see each other again, when we are resigned not to see each other ever again. My son seems to have been inspired by Maya's paintings. It was as his desire to draw exploded in this museum of this great artist, the late Taro Okamoto, who used to say that the art is the explosion. He started to draw like mad on a sketchbook that Mr. Hirano, the director of the museum had given him. What's more, he was using Yamanishi-kun's lap as his table. Yamanishi-kun is a professional illustrator for picture books. How privileged he is!