Graduated with Smile, Together

(Oita Godo Newspaper, March 6^th 2010, morning paper)

"It is my dream to be able to graduate together with everybody. It has come true!", said 15-year-old Jikumaru Ryotaro. He suffered from a serious disease which made his body to grow up ten times faster than normal people. He graduated on March 5^th, from Saikijyonan Junior High School in Saiki City.

According to his family, Jikumaru-kun collapse because of cerebral haemorrhage during the first year in Junior High School, and he was between life and death. But eventually, miraculously he could continue living. Although he could attend school for only some days, but there were a lot of memories of being with his classmates. In the graduation ceremony, his friends came to carry his wheelchair to the stage. Surrounded by 128 friends, he received the graduation certificate from Miyahara Ken Principal.

His dream from the beginning of his junior high school life is to be able to graduate together with his friends. All of his friends and teachers always watched over Jikumaru-Kun who always loved to make people around him laugh and smile. In the photos taken during sports competition, cultural festival, and excursion, Jikumaru-kun can be seen to be in the center of smiling people.

After the ceremony, while taking a souvenir photograph in the classroom, all of his classmates gave thank-you letter to Jikumaru-kun and his mother Yoshimoto-san, for always being positive and cheerful while overcoming difficulties.

The teacher who took charge of them for three years said, "What I have done for Ryotaro-kun was not to assist or back him up. His charm as a human being has fascinated and attracted people around him. I am not surprised that he could graduate together with the others!"

Principal Miyahara gave them a farewell message, "I want each of you to treasure your unique self as there is only one "you" in this world. I hope that each of you will find your goodness, have faith in yourself and continue to move forward".

Comments:

Despite suffering a lot from this rare disease, Jikumaru-kun and his mother always have a positive attitude towards life, which inspire the people around them to the same. Many a times, we tend to take what we have always had all along, and fail to remember to treasure what is important. The life of Jikumaru and his mother actually offered us a lesson to treasure small moments in life and to always spread happiness to other people.

NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama

Indonesia

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM3