Today I got a postcard in the mail from our friend Tomoko Sako in Ono. Her mother (90 1/2 years old) passed away on 4/19. She sent us out a 49-Day announcement (one of the Japanese traditional death things) as a post card to let us know that they had a private funeral. This is the wife of Sako-san, that old guy down the street from Maeda-san in Ono who looked after Tug for so many years after Maeda-san had his stroke and couldn't do it anymore. The tiny guy with the long white beard....
Some of you may remember them in one of my videos called "Old Japan, Old Friends Part 2: Sako-san".
She was such a quiet, unassuming woman, doing her job as a mother, a wife... going through the hard times during and after the war with her husband... finding roadkill to cook up when they were starving during the war and more. But she had a very strong spark of life to her and we could see the humour in her eyes all the time.
It was a tough life living with Sako-san because he was a very ornery guy all his life. I remember their daughter Tomoko telling us how hard it was growing up with their dad. She was a couple years older than him, and from Kyoto, and very well educated. It was always fun to visit them, listen to Sako-san tell us old war stories, and watch his wife sitting there quietly with her glasses perched on her nose reading the finance and economic newspapers....
We have known them since we first came to this part of the country in 1991... so many stories of life with them...
We are going to send them a bouquet of flowers, pick up some funeral incense, take it there, and pray at their shrine, lighting incense for her.
She died holding her husband's hand.....
Another one of our old friends has gone.....
She had a good, long life.
We will miss her...
Here is the video that I talked about above, if you care to watch. It's a little long @ 6 1/2 minutes...
I love you!
Cam
my thoughts are with the family and you may they be at peacex
ReplyDeleteIt is sad to say goodbye to a loved one such as Tomoko's mother, but as you said she lived a long life and though not all of it was wonderful, the feelings she gave to others were.
ReplyDeletePeace and blessings to the family and much love to you, Cameron... always... always a good friend.
I love you!
"She died holding her husband's hand"
ReplyDeletethat's all we need in the whole scheme of things
**grabs Cameron's hand**
*dies*
ReplyDeletelol
ReplyDeletei luv you
boo-boo-butt!
Oh poo. I hate it when cool 90 year old Japanese women die. HATE IT!
ReplyDeleteIt just shows you what an ignorant boob I am, that I never thought Japanese people would have cats. I didn't even think there might be cats in Japan. I am smarter than this.
ReplyDelete*Hammer to head*
*gently takes hammer from Aimee's fist, hugs her, says, "it's OK..."*
ReplyDeleteHugs, Cammy and thankies for the welcome on my new site! I LOVE YOU, too:) I'm vacationing so it's slowly but surely coming together on the new page:)
ReplyDeleteDeath...I have not yet learned to handle hearing about anyone's death with any sort of grace or soulful, wise words.
ReplyDeleteI love you.
Awww Cam, I am so so SO very sorry for your loss. I see that I commented above and feel terrible now as I see I wrote in the wrong place which must have seemed very callous:( Anyway, my thoughts and prayers go out to you and her family as well.
ReplyDelete