Reminders

Life is full of reminders or triggers.  Some are lovely, some are not.

Hear a song, go back to a special occasion.

Smell a certain smell, be transported back to grandma's kitchen.

See a special flower, remember a significant event.

While I was walking this morning I saw these lovely flowers and was transported back 9 years to the days after our big earthquake.  We were living at ECS and walking back and forth to the ECS apartment for cold showers, there was still no gas so no hot water.  There was a lovely vine covered wall of these beauties along the way.  They brought color and beauty to a trying time.

I hear the song Friends and go back to the days just before we came to Japan.  So many memories!

The Takayanagi Fox Festival in October will forever be a reminder of beginning of Joshy's battle with Aplastic Anemia.  He was in short stay so that we could do the 3km night hike.  We picked him up and he had a huge bruise.  The next day he was lethargic and became all but unresponsive.  This started what turned into a 6 month hospitalization and a battle he still fights to this day.

Tonight is the wake of a Christian brother.  He hadn't been feeling well and the doctors were trying to get to the bottom of the problem when he suffered a stroke on late Wednesday or early Thursday.  He passed away on Saturday evening.  He leaves behind a wife and two elementary age boys.  My heart is heavy for his family.  Saturday should be remembered as the 1st day of summer vacation not the day daddy went to heaven.  Tomorrow is Kashiwazaki's big fireworks display, it shouldn't be the day of a funeral.  I wonder if these special events will always bring back sad memories - I pray not.  I pray happy memories will cover over some of the sadness.

Please lift up the Sasaki family in your prayers.