Did I mention it was cold?
Of course, we've been following the news about Japan since the earthquake. I joke that I've been keeping track of the news via facebook instead of a major provider. At first, this was true because I was out of town when the earthquake occurred and I also was a little afraid of what I'd see. I was able to use the articles posted by NPR and friends to find out generally what was happening, and also to confirm that the people I know there, who thankfully are mostly in the south of Japan, away from the really scary stuff, are completely fine. I pray for those who are not so lucky.
So the Hanami this year has a kind of bittersweet feel to it, wondering how much anyone in Japan can celebrate the beautiful season. The flowers are lovely, but they do make me a little homesick for the country where we had such wonderful adventures. The people there are what made the trip so delightful for us, and I grieve for them in this time of crisis. It does my heart good to hear of all the ways that the world is helping out now, offering support in a variety of forms. We, too, have done our part as best we could, and I enjoyed the trip down memory lane that seeing the cherry blossoms allows. There is something soothing about all those pink and white blossoms. Also, it wasn't nearly as crowded as last year, when Hanami coincided with Easter. There were lots of people, but it wasn't just a mob, so that was nice. We might try to head back again next weekend.
The next day, it snowed, so spring is not quite here yet, but at least we know it'll be here soon.
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