父方の祖父母と一緒に暮らしたことはなく、特別に仲が良いというわけでもなかった。でも私は、たまに会う二人のことが好きだった。温暖な南の島で暮らし、豪快で優しい、島の自然そのもののような二人。関東や関西の都市部で暮らしてきた私の周りにいた人とは少し違った存在だった。
二人が島を離れ、叔母の住む福岡の街で余生を過ごすと聞いた時は、ショックだった。祖父母は島の人。都会で暮らす姿は想像できなかった。祖父は九十四歳。物忘れが多くなっていた。祖母は八十八歳。介護施設と病院とを出たり入ったりしていた。確かに、二人だけでの島での暮らしは難しくなっていた。
私は二人に、最期まで島にいてほしいと願った。父や叔母は違った。二人の晩年のために、最善の選択として、福岡での生活を準備した。当然、なのかもしれない。私が孫ではなく、子だったら、そうするのかもしれない。でもやはり、腑に落ちない部分があったのだ。だから私は写真を撮ることにした。
祖父母の最後の旅を。
二人を見守ると決めた私の家族の姿を。
I have never lived with my paternal grandparents. They and I weren't particularly close. But I liked the two of us who met occasionally. They lived on a warm southern island, and were both dynamic and kind, like the nature of the island itself. They were a little different from the people around me who had lived in urban areas in the Kanto and Kansai regions.
I was shocked when I heard that they were leaving the island and spending the rest of their lives in Fukuoka, where their aunt lives. My grandparents were people who lived on an island. I couldn't imagine living in the city. My grandfather was ninety-four years old and had become forgetful. My grandmother was eighty-eight years old, and she was in and out of nursing homes and hospitals. Certainly, living on the island with just the two of them was becoming difficult.
I wanted them both to stay on the island until the end. My father and aunt had different ideas. They decided that the best option for the two of them in their later years was to prepare for a life in Fukuoka. Of course, maybe. If I were a child instead of a grandchild, I might do that. However, there was still something I couldn't agree with.
So I decided to take photos of my grandparents' last journey.
And also the appearance of my family, who had decided to watch over them.