年賀状

December 2022

Season's Greetings & Wishes for Health, Prosperity and Success in 2022!

温故知新

故(ふる)きを温(たず)ねて新しきを知る

最近、昭和から続く老舗喫茶店に魅了されています。生まれ育ちは違えども、何故か懐かしく感じる不思議。カウンター越しに見える、綺麗に並べられた珈琲カップ。湯気の向こうには寡黙な店主。コンビニのマシーンで買う珈琲とは真逆の「淹れる人の顔が見える」珈琲を味わいながら、思考を巡らします。

丁寧に、客の目の前で、一杯の珈琲を手で淹れる作業は、極めてアナログで、デジタル化された社会では「不便」「非効率的」で、時代に逆行していると感じる方もいるかもしれません。しかし、この「相手の顔が見える」事から得られる安心感は人々の「心の距離」を縮め、いかにデジタル化が進んでも、人のコミュニケーションには欠かせない要素だと実感します。ここ数年、地球の裏側にいる人達とも、リモートテクノロジーのおかげで簡単に繋がれ、顔を見て話せるようになりました。人とのコミュニケーションに何が大切かを、今一度思い出す場所、それが昭和の喫茶店。

「不便」だからダメではなく、不便だったあの頃から学び、新しきを知る。そんな事を思いながら、もう一杯。

2022年も残すところあとわずかとなりました。本年中のご愛顧に感謝申し上げますとともに、皆様のご健康とご多幸をお祈りし、来たる年がより一層の飛躍の年となりますこと重ねてお祈り申し上げます。

He that ponders what shall be reflect on what has been.

Lately, I have been exploring Japan’s old style coffee shops that are reminiscent of times gone by during the Showa era (1926-1989). I came to Japan for the first time on the tail end of this era.

Coffee cups are neatly arranged behind the counter. Steam rises up. The barrister intently labors for each brew, cup-by cup drip-by-drip.

Unlike that to-go coffee machine plastic topped cup which you pick up in a rush from the corner store that serves up caffeine with convenience, here you glance up at the barrister’s eyes and grin with appreciation as you raise the steaming mug of joe to your lips and let your mind wonder on aimless thoughts.

Deliberate and time-consuming cup by cup hand-brew may seem old-fashioned, even "inconvenient" and "inefficient" in this era of instant digital gratification. However, there is a nostalgic sense of solace in the connection which forms between brew master and brew imbiber in this moment; it’s an analog closeness which can’t be digitally duplicated.

In the past few years, technology has enabled virtually “face-to-face” conversations with people on the other side of the world. For this, I am grateful. However, the Showa-era coffee shop inspires us to savor the spontaneous, non-verbal connection which can be attained only in the space of physical togetherness.

We should not cast off what is good in pursuit of today’s standard for convenience. Rather, we can learn anew from those things which time is forgetting. With that in mind, won’t you join me for another cup?

The end of 2022 is fast approaching. We would like to thank you for your continued support this year, express our wishes for you health and happiness, and hope that the coming year will be a year of even greater progress for us all.

Bryan Sherman

Gramercy Engagement Group, Inc.

In years past, our greeting cards have been designed with the inspiration of the "jumping/ flying Bryan" theme: 「飛ぶらいあん」(to-bu-rai-an). In Japanese, the word "to-bu" means "to jump or fly". Bryan is phonetically spelled "bu-rai-an". In conjunction, this theme sprung forth. 「飛ぶらいあん」 remains this year in spirit. Scroll down to see our past greetings.