Emi's Message

How are you, Newby?
It's been a long time since I saw you last.
All my children have been growing up as I hope them to be. And so many things you kindly did for them in Charlottesville continue to help them in many ways. You may never know how I am grateful for it.
Riding on a huge bull in a county fair, touching softly the pink back of a sleeping pig―my children reminisce about these things, joyfully adding detail after detail. Young people simply enjoy gathering things back from the past as much as older ones do.
They groped through the underground maze of the Shenandoah Valley grotto. Marcy and Jeff helped them make the gingerbread house. And Thanksgiving Day and Christmas! Those experiences were far above what they had expected, so they feel they were exceptionally lucky compared to any Japanese children in America.

…the door to your house is always open to us. I feel I belong there.
On the porch you have a sandbox which has animals, cars, figures and all the tiny things. It looks like a Noah's ark of our time or a timeless wonderland.
You have a birdcage in your house as big as keeps human beings. My children happily talk with the birds which scream all afternoon "Hello! Hello!" as for help and then start to imitate how their feeder and best friend bursts into laughter. My children love to watch the way the birds shell the peanuts.
We go through the hall-and-kitchen tunnel to enter the roofless living room. Voila! You feel free there. You can be just yourself. I wonder how such magic is possible. Is it just the effect of your voice and smile, Newby?
Your chimney lets Santa Clause come down, and birds and squirrels and bats, too. And you can't evict the lawless squirrels which have found a cozy place between the floors because you are afraid to make them homeless….

We had so many unforgettable moments in your place, and had met so many good people. Thank you, Newby. You mysteriously connect people's hearts. One heart straightly can communicate with other heart just because of you. You make it possible easily like a magician or a good witch!

Last year in November we had a happy reunion with the Hopper family. In spite of the jet lag and the fatigue and pain they got in Kyoto, they kindly accepted our invitation to the cottage in Kaoru's hometown. Lisa, Gregg, Peter, and William, all of them in our place! It was an unbelieavable occasion.
And Peter and William--I was happily surprised! Of course I had held them as babies, but I was not sure what they were like until I saw them. Peter is such a sweet, smart boy. William is adorable, just full of energy and curiosity. I am looking forward to seeing them next time.

We have never forgotten your birthday. We simply cannot. Not one year has passed without our remembering your birthday particularly since 1993. We had a hard, hard time in October that year. Sachio had a very bad asthma attack at night on October 9. Early next morning Marcy helped us take him to the emergency room of the University Hospital. The longest week in my life passed. Because you were with us, we could get over it. And Sachio came back home on your birthday, October 17. I really felt it was you that saved Sachio, and you in turn saved us. You know what I mean. October 17 is and will be a very special day for us forever. When the time comes in future when I helplessly let my memories go, I will hold on to October 17.

Love,
Emi