桜咲く (Sakura Saku)

As some of you may already know, I will leave the land of the rising sun this summer. Although I still have two months left in Asia to gather my thoughts and belongings, the goodbyes began in April, and I'm still not ready for it.

I've never associated the season of spring with goodbyes. In Japan, as a coworker explained, spring is a time to bid farewell, in order to welcome a new start. For this reason, the new school year begins in April and new professionals begin their careers. Because, spring -- with the blossoms and the warm weather approaching -- is a welcome transformation. It's the occasion to reveal a new face, one that is more beautiful than the former. My coworker finds it strange that Western academic and professional calendars begin in the fall, when the trees lose their leaves and look so frail and daunting in the nude. In my mind, the shedding of leaves symbolizes losing old habits, in order to make room for new and improved changes. We must reflect on our lives and gather wisdom as we endure the winter. Only when we have persevered through tests and trials do we truly emerge as beautiful beings. In this new state, we have reached our utmost triumph, we have moved into our personal spring. But in Japan, the process gives everyone the opportunity to start with a clean slate, free of the errs of the past, as pure as the flowers which bloom. Inevitably, we must say goodbye to people and places as we start our new cycle in spring. This spring, I had to say goodbye to some students, teachers and friends. And this summer, I will have to say goodbye to plenty more.

There is a saying in Japanese, "sakura saku" or "the cherry blossom is blooming," which is used to describe someone who has shown progress. I have felt myself grow these past two years, and I can only hope that the changes are apparent, that I have something to show, for the two cycles of personal "sakura" I have seen come and go.

With two months left, it's time to prepare for my return to my Golden State, California. For you, my reader, I will try to blog as much as possible, before this adventure in Japan comes to an end, as I try to hold on to spring.

In both Japanese and Western mentality, spring marks the chance to get things right. To be loved, to be pure, to be beautiful. Unfortunately, we must accept the changes that our newfound beauty brings. But when we must say goodbye, at least we have the opportunity to grow as the flowers do, adorning the branches in our lives to become more beautiful.