About Our Marriage⑤: Visualization

The day after our wedding, I sent an e-mail to all the staff of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare about our marriage, attaching the photo below.

Seeing the mail being sent made my heart pound like when I came out to my colleagues. I was very worried about everyone’s thoughts and feelings about my marriage.

But then- many people replied with positive feedbacks. One of them said:

‘Congratulations! Traditional gentlemen and ceremonial ladies working around me got panicked when they saw your e-mail.’

Hooray! I shouted in my mind. As I stated before, my intention was to cause a stir in this traditional organization and boundaries… so, I succeeded! Finally!

What is more, other colleague told me about the possibility I can take ‘honeymoon leave’ officially. I thought it impossible as our marriage is not legalized in Japan- but actually my ministry allows it for not only people officially married but also people did wedding ceremony. ‘When you are socially married, you are allowed to take honeymoon leave’, the official document says.

So… my e-mail led me to take one-week honeymoon leave as well as throwing a stone in the pond of the Japanese ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. I know the battle has just begun- but one thing I’m sure is, ‘Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you’!!