Farewell, Nihon!

At the end of April, I'll be leaving Nihon (Japan). While I'm very glad that I will be living closer to my family in the U.S., I will miss the genuine kindness, courteous civility and friendship I have found here, to say nothing of the gorgeous beauty of this country.

I hope I will never lose the wonder of hanami, cherry blossom viewing season, where pondering on spring sakura petals brings one a small portion of true happiness in a crazy, fast-paced world.

I will always hold dear the timeworn reverence I experienced when visiting shrines rich with ancient history, and remember the glow of paper fortune wishes tied to racks at Kushida Shrine. 

But time flies, and so now must I!