To My Family

Three months have flown by. It seems hard to believe. I have done so much, experienced so many new things. There were many times I wished you were here with me to share my adventures. Other times I wished for your company to make the nights less lonelier adapting a little less difficult. But most of all, I wish you were here to see me change. I don’t think you will recognize me anymore. It is like coming out of a long sleep. I did not realize how much of myself had slipped away the past few years. But Japan has brought me back to life. Like sap slowly moving as winter turns to spring, my energy and creativity are returning. I have pushed my body to jog and dance, things I haven’t done since my injury out of fear (and depression). I have lost weight, too. I do not know how much, I don't have a scale, but if I measure it in how much better I feel it is a significant amount. I have also reawakened to the fantastic. This amazing country with its architecture, culture, and people that are so different from my own inspires my imagination. I find stories waiting around every corner, hiding in shadows or peeking out through paper screens. I had forgotten how amazing and beautiful simple things could be, like the sound of rain on an umbrella, or the leaves of the red maple in autumn. This country is a feast for the senses and it has filled my soul with the zest for life I had somehow lost. So when we meet again, please don’t be too surprised to find a different person than the one who waved goodbye to you in August. It may seem like a sudden change to you and it might be jarring at first. But know that I am happy. Despite the difficulties and strain this adventure has created, it has helped me not just remember who I was, but it has helped me become someone new as well. Someone who is really looking forward to meeting you again soon.