受取拒絶シールの年賀状 / New Year's Card with a "Reject" Sticker

今日（1/26）、投函した年賀状が返送されてきました。それも「受取拒絶」のシールが貼られて帰って来たので、「何か、嫌われる様な悪い事をしてしまったのか？」とショックを受けて、暫く狼狽えてしまいました。

Today, the New Year's card I mailed was returned. It also came with a "Reject" sticker. I was shocked and confused for a while, wondering, "Did I do something wrong to make them dislike me?"

30年以上前、お世話になった方で、それから、年賀状をやり取りを続けていた方で、とても紳士的で写真撮影の好きな方でした。ただ、遠くにお住まいだった事もあり、お世話になった当時にお会いしただけで、それ以来、お会いする機会も電話でお話をする機会も無かった方です。そして、唯一の繋がりが「受取拒絶」のシールで切れてしまったのです。

人生で初めての事だったので狼狽えましたが、落ち着いて考え直してみれば、その方の年齢を考えると、ご本人さん以外の方が対応せざるを得ない「受取拒絶」もある事に気付いて、心の不安や傷は少し和らぎました。恐らく、今後は、この様な年賀状が返送されてくる事が増えてくるでしょう。そして、いつか、年賀状を出す相手先が無くなる日も来るのかも知れません。
でも、今回、一つ決心をしました。例え何があったとしても、相手先様には決して「受取拒絶」のシールをお届けする事が無いように手配をします。

This was someone I was indebted to over 30 years ago, and we continued to exchange New Year's cards. He was a very gentlemanly man who loved photography. However, he lived far away, so I only met him when I was indebted to him. Since then, I haven't had a chance to meet him in person or speak to him on the phone. And now, our only connection has been severed by a "Reject" sticker.

This was the first time this had ever happened to me, so I was flustered. However, after calming down and thinking about it, I realized that, given the person's age, there are cases where "rejection" is handled by someone other than the recipient themselves, and my anxiety and hurt have eased somewhat. I expect we'll see more and more of these kinds of returned New Year's cards in the future. And one day, there may come a day when there are no people to send New Year's cards to.
But this time, I have made a decision. No matter what happens, I will make arrangements to ensure that no recipients ever receive a "reject" sticker.