Taking care of you.

お世話になりました。
(Pronounced oh-say-wah-nee-na-ree-ma-she-ta.)

It an expression most learn in their first semester of Japanese class. Though there is no direct translation to capture all the meanings and sentiments it embodies, it is an expression of gratitude for taking care of us. We use it to say thank you for taking care of us.

One would say it to a teacher when the semester ends.
One would say it to colleagues when one leaves a job.
One would say it to their homestay family when it’s time to head home.

But what Japanese classes won’t teach you is that it doesn’t always have to be people who you say this expression to.

A tenant can say it to their house when they move. Thanking the house for taking care of them.
A baseball pitcher can say it to the mound after their last game.
A chef can say it to the kitchen on the day of his retirement.

This expression teaches us to be aware and to acknowledge the places and things we experience are not merely just that. That they have a soul. A spirit perhaps. That by fate they’ve made it into our lives. That it is a miracle for the journey of them to intersect with the journey of ours.

What places? What tools? What things have taken care of you?