"What's your dream for your children and grandchildren?"

wrinkled by sun

in the eyes of

the pear tree

___

Today's haiku is a dedication to my 95 year old grandmother's unshakeable strongwill, vision and our family's pear tree she planted after being excepted back as a citizen of the United States.

Observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I asked my grandmother at a virtual safe distance this question:

"What is your dream for your children and grandchildren?"

Her responese sent my thoughts to the 1940's.

80 years ago, my grandparents were among the 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry who were unjustly discriminated by their own country.

The horrific attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th 1941 left all Japanese living in the United States targeted as a threat just from the color of their skin.

Humiliated and saddened, they were banished from their homes and businesses to live in makeshift barracks and internment camps for over four years.

This ugly truth in American history has reverberated through generations and unfortunately, still continues today.

As a Gosei (五世, "fifth generation") Japanese American I'm proud of my heritage and am committed to live my grandmother's legacy.

Reshare this post today and ask someone this question.