A Conversation for Two

Yesterday, quite by chance—and for the first time in a while (about six months, I think)—my husband and I were able to enjoy a leisurely meal together. Neither of us drinks, and we’re not really fans of izakaya pubs or trendy restaurants, so we went to a buffet. We talked about his solo touring trip last weekend, the blog by Wata that he checks regularly, and how he’d discovered a blog called “Porsche Is a Teacher” and found its perspective incredibly compelling.

The blog “Porsche Is a Teacher” was difficult for me to follow, since it assumes a knowledge of how cars are engineered. But my husband clearly connected with this passage:

“This system allows the pedal force to vary exactly as intended. Thanks to it, the driver can control engine speed not only mechanically, but also intuitively—with the muscles in the right foot, and indeed with the whole body, in a way that feels natural and effortless. Porsche recognized the importance of this a quarter of a century ago, found a solution, and built it into its cars—without making a big deal of it or boasting, ‘Look how great this is.’ That’s what makes Porsche Porsche, and it’s hard not to admire the company for it.”

I see what he means… That does sound right. I thought the idea of Porsche quietly getting things right—without making a big deal of it or boasting, “Look how great this is”—was incredibly cool.

We also talked about how Japan doesn’t offer a service for picking up a new car directly from the Porsche factory, along with this and that. We chatted for about three hours, and two and a half of them were about cars (what kind of couple are we?)

The rest of the conversation was about raising the kids and, briefly, why we don’t need to own a home.

Usually, if my husband and I talk for even three minutes, our daughter jumps in with, “Mommy and Daddy, no talking!” But this time, she didn’t, so we could talk freely to our hearts’ content.

A Strong Marriage Is the Foundation of Family Life

We’ve both become parents, welcomed our first child and then our second, and taken on more responsibilities. I think our relationship as a couple has changed along the way, too. We talk less, and it’s become rare for us to go somewhere or do something together, just the two of us.

Even so, I believe a family is built on the relationship between its partners. I hope we’ll keep making an effort, stay close, and enjoy life together for years to come.