June 19th, 2022

the cherry blossom

an ephemeral beauty

savor your journey

___

Dear Dad,

Seven years ago, I wrote this haiku paying homage to your phrase:

 “Savor your journey.”

Today, I’m reciting it in dedication of your permanent memorial bench at the University of Washington.

You would always ask James and me the question,

“On a scale from one to ten, how happy are you with your life?”

If our answers were less than ten, you and Mom would ask,

“Why, how, and what could be done to make our numbers higher?”

While we’ve stopped counting, James and I have been blessed in meeting and marrying our soulmates, watching the Marvel multiverse, and eating maybe one to many potato chips.

Until we meet again, we will continue making each day our masterpiece.

Love,

Lane