Japan, My Friend

I’ve traveled a lot in my short life. And I’ve lived all over the world. It’s funny how the places seem to take on the persona of the memories I have and almost come to life. The places hold just as much meaning to me as the people in them.


That’s why it was so hard to look at pictures and watch videos of the earthquake and subsequent tsunamis in North eastern Japan. I spent three years there, and Misawa, Hachinohe, and Aomori were my old stomping grounds. Just one week ago I was telling Roger how I dream of taking him and Kaelyn back there one day…to point out where I used to live, where I went to buy the best olive oil I’ve ever tasted, where we used to have bonfires on the beach, my favorite restaurants. Sadly, that will probably never happen now. We can go back…and we will, but it will probably feel as strange and foreign to me as it does to them. Watching the places I loved so much get swallowed up by the ocean was like experiencing the death of a close friend.

Of course, when I woke up Friday morning and heard of the earthquake, my first reaction and worries was about the people. My old friends and coworkers who live there, who have families there. It was hours before I was able to gather enough information to conclude that they were all ok. And I’m so incredibly grateful for that. Unfortunately, the places aren’t unscathed and today, I still mourn the loss of land and the buildings and the intangible part where the memories are all that’s left.

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In more exciting news, we had a wonderful weekend. Rob and Elisa are spending their anniversary at Lake Tahoe and were able to stop by and spend some time with us on their way up. Saturday afternoon, we went wine tasting in Lodi and had dinner at Tex-Wasabi’s in Sacramento after that. We stayed up late talking, all fell asleep on the couch, and had Sunday morning to be lazy. After brunch at my favorite breakfast place, they headed up to start their vacation and Roger, Kae and I spent the rest of the weekend relaxing. Even though my heart was heavy with the news and worry about what is happening in Japan, having old friends around helped immensely. Even when the place doesn’t make it, the friendships are still there…and that has to be good enough.