Memories about family members
“What do you want for your birthday?” When my 15th birthday was approaching, mom asked me. I couldn’t think of anything. I’ve always been like that—my mind full of wants until the moment I’m asked, and then suddenly, everything feels unnecessary. Also, I didn’t want to bother my mother. She was a single parent who …
"How old are you?", the waiter asked. I was at a hotel restaurant in Oahu with my parents. I knew how to count the number from one to ten in English, but I had to count up from number one to get to my age -- a long journey to number nine. Feeling fretted, I …
My mom became a single parent when I was 12 and my sister was 7. I have no idea how she managed to raise the two of us by herself. In the mid-1990s, divorce was not so common in Japan compared to the United States or some European countries (Single-parented households comprised less than 4% …
How many Christmas evenings do I remember? When I was a kid, I loved Christmas parties. My grandpa, who was a very outgoing entrepreneur, would take whole family to this large holiday gatherings of Rotary Club in Osaka every year. We all dressed up and enjoyed special dinner followed by magic shows, stand-up comedy performances …
My advice to the people.... have a dog, at least once in your life. Because they teach us some of the most important things in life: unconditional love, simple happiness and commitment. “Happiness is a warm puppy”, Charles M. Schulz said. I absolutely agree. To me, dogs and happiness are totally synonymous. The sky is …
I don’t know much about my uncle. Because he led a very secluded life for nearly 40 years. According to my grandmother, my uncle was what people called “prodigy”. From a young age, he excelled academically. He went to the most prestigious university in Japan, and he continued his studies to become a science researcher. …
My grandfather, my father side, was, what you would call, a self-made man. He was an Air Force mechanic at WWII. After returning from the war, he started a small engineering workshop in Osaka, and expanded it to a mechatronics manufacturing company. He was an austere man, people said. He was stern, forbidding, and critical. He was …
I am a human. I am not an angel. I am trying not to be judgemental, but sometimes I make mistakes. Like I did today. "Dad and I are going out for a dinner tonight," I was talking with mom over the phone. "Oh, that's nice. Where are you two going?" She asked. "Well, you …
It's hard to describe how much I love my sister. She is my best friend, comrade and handler. But we weren't too close when we were young. I think we have become really good friends after one big fight. When I was 21, she came to Tokyo and stayed at my place for a month. …
It’s been almost a year since I lost my grandma. I am writing this anecdote so as not to forget an incident that taught me a good lesson. It happened one night when I was living with her. On the eve of my trip to Okinawa, a beach resort in southern part of Japan. I …
A Thousand Years 