A Face for Japan

Yuki Kouki.  I only remember her name because in my mind I thought it rhymed.  If you say it in Japanese I'm not sure it actually would rhyme, but that's how I've always remembered it.  Yuki was my pen pal in the 5th grade.  It was one of those class projects the teacher asked if we'd be interested in.  Even as a young girl I enjoyed writing. Letters, notes, it didn't matter.  I just liked to write.  So what could be more fun than having a pen pal?  I remember the day we had to choose which country our pen pal would be from.  We only had a few choices and I picked Japan because I liked rice.  Seems like a perfectly good reason to an eleven year old right?   It makes me smile now at the depths (or lack of depths) I went to in choosing my country.

I wish I could say that Yuki and I forged a lifelong friendship filled with letters of our childhood antics, our first dates, our graduations, loves, heartbreaks, and so on.  But we didn't.  Yuki and I wrote a handful of letters to each other for about a year.  Her life was starkly different from mine in some ways.  She was an only child living in a city north of Tokyo I think.  I wish I could remember the name.  She lived with her parents, grandparents (and maybe an uncle?) in an apartment.  I remember her mom was a nurse.  Meanwhile, across the globe, I had two younger brothers, lived in an old two story victorian,  in small town, middle America. We had a big backyard and a neighborhood full of kids.  I remember thinking how fun it would be to live with my grandparents...and in an apartment?! Wow...as a kid there was nothing more exciting than that!  Her life seemed almost glamorous to me.  Looking back I wonder how she felt about mine?  Did she ever think about playing in a big back yard with lots of grass, just like I thought about the busy city and the elevator she took every day up to her apartment?  

Even though Yuki and I lived worlds apart we also had some 'eleven year old girl similarities'.  We enjoyed school, and playing piano.  We both hated cats.  (sorry cat lovers)  We were both in love...and I mean real, true LOVE with teen heart throb Shawn Cassidy and even had the same poster hanging in our bedrooms.  I can't tell you how much I wish I could find her letters. She wrote a poem once about our shared love for Shawn and I remember thinking she was nothing short of brilliant!

I loved Twinkies, and she loved these cake things...or pies, I'm not sure, but they were called Choco Shrooms, or Choco Pies. (I had to google to remember) The other day when the earthquake hit and the devastation began it was one of the first things I thought of.  Yuki, and those pies she loved so much.  I know how odd it may seem seem to think of something so trivial in the face of such tragedy.  But then I realized how easy it is to look at the news and see what's going on over there but not feel a real connection to it.  Sure, the footage is horrific. We see the images and hear the heartbreaking stories.  It causes all of us, or at least it should, to pause and reflect on our own lives. To be thankful for all the blessings we have in every moment. 

I wish I could say I thought about Japan and her people often before this tragedy... but I didn't.  I wish I could say I was moved to pray for them before this tragedy...but I wasn't.   I didn't even really think of Yuki very much until this all happened.  But when it did happen, there she was. Yuki, and her love of Choco Pies.  Yuki and her jet black hair and brown eyes.  So opposite of my blond, blue eyed self.  I thought of Yuki in her apartment, where I'm sure she ate rice with her grandparents. 

I wish I knew what became of her, my pen pal friend.  I wonder if she still lives in Japan. And if so, was she was hurt, or even worse?  I'm sure she hasn't given her American pen pal , a single thought in the wake of all that's happened.  But if I could, I would tell her that someone across the world remembers her.  I'd tell her how sorry I am, and  how much I wish I could help her in some way.   I'd cry with her over what's happening to her beautiful country.  I'd remind her what a great poet she was at age eleven and ask if she still likes to write.  I'd ask her if I could say a prayer for her that God would comfort her and give her strength. 

I understand now why thinking of Yuki and her love of pies was not trivial.   It wasn't trivial because Japan is not just some country...some abstract place.... with abstract people....it's full of Yuki's who live in apartments and homes, who are nurses, and ride in elevators, and love Shawn Cassidy.  (I guess now it would be Justin Bieber)  It's a place where families celebrate birthdays, go on vacations, sing songs in the shower and eat rice and Choco Pies. And maybe even Twinkies.  It's a place that I will keep praying for in the weeks and months ahead.   And Yuki, if you are there, I hope you are well and safe.  As well and safe as can be expected I guess.  And I'd like to say thank you for giving me a face for Japan, so I can continue to remember you and your country with compassion,  and even hope for the future.

With Love...Your pen pal,
Jennifer

A new blog look & Charlie Sheen

I fancied up my blog a little bit.  Actually I'm trying to customize it a little more...learning the blog ropes.  My friend Gen (THANK YOU GEN) sent me this link to picnik.  For those of you who are way more techy than I, you already know what that is.  For those of you who don't,  it's a very cool website where you can do collages, cool stuff with pics, and make headers for blogs and such. I followed a tutorial on my iphone while I made the new header on my computer that you see now on my blog.  I almost threw myself a party.  Complete with balloons and a clown.  No kidding.  I'm normally not very good with stuff like this.   So over the next few weeks/months I'll be adding new features,  and continue to customize the blog.  Aren't you all so excited? If I do throw myself a party I'll invite you, and if you're scared of clowns I'll hold your hand.

Ok, so I don't really have anything more to post tonight.  Just wanted to see what you all think of this new look.  I guess as long as I'm on here though....can I just take a moment to comment on Charlie Sheen?  Charlie holy cats I'm off my rocker Sheen. 

I normally don't pay much attention to Hollywood.  I mean l know the general hoopla...
Lady Gaga, kooky, but amazing voice.
Britney, making a come back, 'baby one more time'
Linsday, stole a necklace, Why?  Really.  Why?  Sorry, 'allegedly' stole a necklace
Gwyneth, pretty actress, should let her husband do the singing
Steven Tyler, Idol Judge, still has a big mouth
JLo, Idol Judge, still has a big...well some people say 'behind'.   I for one, would take it.

But Charlie....wow....I've never been a huge Charlie fan mind you.  Don't watch his show... but out of pure curiosity I listened to a bunch of his interviews the other day.  I don't know if you can really call them interviews. Such incoherent ramblings.  It's really easy to get kind of disgusted and just dismiss him as another arrogant, self absorbed, womanizing, creep in Hollywood. And if you watch him he certainly does fit that description to a T.  But something else inside me feels deep compassion and sorrow for Mr. Sheen.  Obviously he's in need of great help.  Ultimately he needs the help that only a Savior can give.  We all are in need of that kind of help, Charlie is no different. 

 So tonight I think of Charlie and the day he was born.  The great joy that he must have brought to his parents.  What a cute little boy he must have been playing cars, and baseball.  Then I think of our God, who created him.  Who knew Him before he was born.  Who still knows the very number of hairs on his head.  And who loves Charlie...deeply and unconditionally loves him,  and wants nothing more than to have a relationship with him.  To restore him and bring him to a place of repentence, peace, and joy.  True joy in Him.  Will it happen?  I don't know.  It's hard to not be cynical when you hear Charlie talk.  It's hard to think he'll ever come to that place.  But tonight, I choose to believe in a God who is big.  Bigger even,  than all the mess Charlie is in.  He is able... well able, and mighty to save.  So tonight I am going to say a prayer for Charlie.  Because I believe prayer does change things.  God's love is not too far away for anyone.  It reaches all the way to Hollywood and back again.