My Happy Marriage Season 1 has recently ended, but I still have my backlog of posts to publish, so hopefully this will be a welcome read to reminisce and appreciate the show more ^^
What is family?
For someone like Miyo who never experienced how it’s like to have a normal loving family, not even friends you can call family, it’s not surprising how she has a hard time grasping what family means. Her mother who loved her dearly passed away when she was so young to even remember how she was like. Her father did not even treat her like her own daughter but more like a servant, even if they are connected by blood. Her half-sister is a bitch treats her more like a rival than a sibling, and not an ounce of love and care from her. Let alone her stepmother who probably hated her even before she was born.
Before meeting the Usubas, the closest she thought she could get to knowing what family is, is through Kiyoka and Hazuki. But I remember that moment Miyo asked Kiyoka what he thinks of Hazuki, and how sad she was after, as she felt like they have a bond that she can never have with anyone.
Family is such a foreign concept to her. Something her heart craved for the longest time, something she did not even know she needed. Until she met her grandfather.
Her grandfather tells her clearly what the bond of family means, how it’s even thicker than blood, how it cannot be easily broken by anger and petty fights. How we can choose to forgive and love despite the trespasses we have against each other. How it’s about bearing each other’s burdens, relying on others instead of taking on everything on your own. And also how family is something/someone we choose (those we choose to love and who chose to love us too).
Beyond that, I also love how her grandpa not only shared with Miyo what family means, but showed it through his actions too. Especially when he opened up his heart to Miyo, sharing his regret on how he dealt with Sumi and her decision to marry into the Saimoris, and how he wish he can take back what he said to her. This was very important because it helped Miyo see that she is not the only one who has similar regret on hurting the one she love. And also helped her see that the bond and love between family can stand the test of such a trial (misunderstanding).
Thanks to this, she was able to forgive herself for what she did to Kiyoka–particularly not trusting him enough to confide and rely on him. And ultimately, helped free her from the burden she has been carrying this whole time.
Seeing Miyo with this renewed confidence and strength makes me so happy. Because I know this is a brand new version of her we are seeing, a much more confident Miyo who is at peace with herself, and has found newfound hope, and faith.
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
– Hebrews 11:1
